Hearing loss decisions — 2020

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for Meniere's syndrome is granted, effective February 29, 2012. The disability is rated at 60 percent.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus but denied service connection for left ear hearing loss disability. The Veteran's current hearing loss and tinnitus are not shown to be causally related to his military service.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for erectile dysfunction, bilateral hearing loss, and PTSD due to new evidence not being received. The Veteran's claim for PTSD is pending as VA treatment records are needed.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that there is no evidence of a nexus between his current hearing loss disability and in-service noise exposure. The Board noted that the Veteran had post-service occupational noise exposure which contributed to his current hearing loss.

The Board has withdrawn the appeals of several issues, including an evaluation in excess of 10 percent for peripheral neuropathy of the left arm and a compensable evaluation for a left arm scar. The appeal regarding service connection for PTSD is remanded due to issues with effective date and rating.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for right ear otosclerosis with hearing loss and brain tumors, including as secondary to the right ear otosclerosis. Additional medical opinions are needed regarding whether the Veteran's conditions clearly and unmistakably preexisted his service and were not aggravated by it.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to incomplete records and need for additional medical opinions regarding the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that there was no diagnosis of hearing loss for VA compensation purposes at any time during the pendency of the claim or recent to the filing of the claim.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for right ear hearing loss, finding that it is related to his in-service noise exposure.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for bilateral hearing loss and scars behind both ears were denied. The criteria for higher ratings were not met based on the provided evidence.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss is rated at 0 percent, the lowest possible rating. The Board found that his hearing acuity did not warrant a higher rating based on the audiometric test results and the Veteran's subjective complaints.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss has been rated at 10 percent since November 12, 2013. The January 2020 VA examination results suggest an improvement in hearing, but the Board finds no actual improvement and maintains the 10 percent rating.

The Board has granted service connection for left ear hearing loss but the right ear evaluation is inextricably intertwined with this issue. Therefore, a new VA examination to assess the current severity of his bilateral hearing loss is required.

The appeals seeking increased ratings for depression, right ankle degenerative joint disease, bilateral hearing loss, and reopening claims for diabetes mellitus, gout, and left ankle condition have been dismissed.,New evidence has reopened the Veteran's claims of service connection for lower back condition, bilateral flat feet, and right and left lower leg/foot conditions.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is granted as the evidence shows a link between his military noise exposure and his current hearing impairment.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is related to his service and grants service connection for this condition.

The Board denied a TDIU on an extra-schedular basis prior to September 7, 2007 due to the Veteran's service-connected disabilities not rendering him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for left leg numbness has been dismissed as the condition is now part of his service-connected intervertebral disc syndrome.,Service connection for hearing loss has been granted, with a VA examination showing current bilateral hearing loss and linking it to in-service noise exposure.

The Board has granted the appeal as the Veteran expressed dissatisfaction with a December 1971 decision denying an increased rating for hearing loss disability, which constitutes a timely Notice of Disagreement (NOD).

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that these conditions are related to in-service acoustic trauma.