Hearing loss decisions — 2020

The Veteran's previously service-connected disabilities prevented him from securing and maintaining substantially gainful employment throughout the period on appeal, and he was granted TDIU effective September 23, 2015.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied because there is no current diagnosis of hearing loss per VA standards.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have precluded him from securing and following substantially gainful employment for which his education and occupational experience would otherwise qualify.

The Veteran's right ear hearing loss and peptic ulcer with GERD have been granted service connection, but the case is still pending for a rating in excess of 30 percent for peptic ulcer with GERD. The TDIU claim remains pending.

The Board has determined that a remand is required for the Veteran's claims of service connection for left ear hearing loss and an initial compensable disability rating for right ear hearing loss due to in-service exposure to acoustic trauma. The issues are inextricably intertwined, so both must be addressed together.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was not caused by or related to active duty service, and the Board denied his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings and TDIU have been dismissed as he has withdrawn his appeal.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that there was no evidence to support a link between these conditions and his military service.

The Veteran's tinnitus is found to be related to service, and the hearing loss claim is remanded for further examination.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a skin rash and a compensable disability rating for bilateral hearing loss is denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support finding that the current conditions began during service or were related to an in-service injury, event, or disease.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability. The issues of service connection for right parietal cerebrovascular accident with left side hemiparesis (CVA) and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), as well as the rating for hypertension, are remanded.

The Board denied a rating in excess of 10 percent for the Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss, finding that his disability level is adequately reflected by the current schedular rating criteria.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for a higher disability rating for bilateral hearing loss, and the Board dismissed the case as a result.

The Veteran has withdrawn his appeals regarding all of the remaining issues, including increased ratings for TBI and migraine headaches, as well as service connection claims for various disabilities. The Board does not have jurisdiction to review these claims.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an initial compensable disability rating for bilateral hearing loss, finding that his audiometric results did not meet the criteria for a compensable rating based on the puretone threshold averages and speech discrimination scores provided in his VA audiological examinations.

The Veteran's death was not caused by any service-connected disabilities, and the preponderance of evidence does not support a finding that he needed regular aid and assistance due to his service-connected conditions.

The Board has granted service connection for headaches and bilateral hearing loss, finding that the Veteran's conditions are related to his military service.

The Veteran's claim for increased ratings for bilateral hearing loss was denied, with the exception of a temporary increase to 40 percent from December 2, 2011 to June 13, 2012 and to 50 percent since June 14, 2012. The reduction in rating from 20 percent to 0 percent for bilateral hearing loss was found improper.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral sensorineural hearing loss and headaches as residuals of a traumatic brain injury, finding that the Veteran's symptoms are related to his in-service exposure to loud noise and head trauma. The decision is based on the presumption of continuity of symptomatology since service separation.

The Veteran's service connection claims for right ear hearing loss, left ear hearing loss, and tinnitus are granted. Service connection is denied for right hip degenerative joint disease (DJD), left hip DJD with iliotibial band syndrome, a right knee disorder to include arthritis, and a left knee disorder to include arthritis.