Hearing loss decisions — 2020

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and consideration, including obtaining medical opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's claimed disabilities.

The Veteran's back disability is granted service connection as it was aggravated by his military service. The claims for bilateral lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, acquired psychiatric disorder (likely depression), and bilateral hearing loss are remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for a 10% disability rating for his service-connected bilateral hearing loss, finding that the increase in severity level occurred after the date of his supplemental claim and is not factually ascertainable until September 2019.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss, hypertension, and hypothyroidism due to pre-decisional duty-to-assist errors. Specifically, the June 2018 VA opinion is inadequate because it did not specifically address the threshold shifts in service. The claim for PCB exposure is also remanded as the Veteran has provided sufficient information to trigger VA's duty to assist.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss, prostate cancer due to herbicide exposure, and erectile dysfunction are all granted as service-connected. The decision also notes that the Veteran's hearing loss began in-service and has continued since then.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus. The claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and a respiratory disability are remanded due to the Veteran's failure to report for an examination.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that there is no evidence of its onset during active service or a relationship to noise exposure. The Veteran's hearing loss was diagnosed many years after discharge and he did not report any acoustic injuries during his National Guard service.

The Board remands the claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss to obtain additional evidence and a new VA examination.

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

The Veteran's appeal for an increased rating for his service-connected bilateral hearing loss was denied as the evidence did not meet the criteria for a higher rating.

The appeal is granted, and service connection for bilateral dry eye syndrome is restored. The Veteran's hearing loss in the right ear is not considered a disability for VA purposes, but he has established a current left ear hearing loss disability. Service connection for degenerative arthritis of the right knee is granted with specific ratings based on limitation of motion.

The Board granted service connection for a lower back condition, hearing loss, and tinnitus based on new and material evidence.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, generalized anxiety disorder, and bilateral flat feet is being remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings were denied as a matter of law due to his failure to report for VA examinations.

The Board remands the issue of entitlement to service connection for bilateral hearing loss for an addendum VA medical opinion.

The Board has dismissed the appeals for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and PTSD. The claims of entitlement to an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for left foot metatarsalgia and an initial compensable rating for left foot scars are being remanded.

The Board remands the Veteran's claim for an increased evaluation of bilateral hearing loss to ensure that all necessary audiometric testing results are obtained and considered.

The veteran withdrew his appeals for service connection for a back disability, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus.

The Board denied the Veteran's request for an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that no valid claim was filed prior to February 1, 2018.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for left ear hearing loss as he does not have a current disability of left ear hearing loss.