Hearing loss decisions — 2020

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is rated as noncompensable throughout the appeal period, as his pure tone thresholds and speech recognition scores do not meet the criteria for a compensable rating under VA regulations.

The Board denied a higher disability rating for the Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss, finding that his hearing acuity did not meet the criteria for a compensable rating.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment, and the Board has granted his TDIU claim.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations to assess the severity of his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating and earlier effective date for his bilateral hearing loss was denied. The Board found that the Veteran is not entitled to a rating greater than 10 percent for his bilateral hearing loss, as his audiometric test results did not meet the criteria for a higher rating. The effective date of September 11, 2019, for the 10 percent rating was also denied.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for special monthly compensation (SMC) based on aid and attendance because there was no evidence that his service-connected disabilities rendered him bedridden or helpless to the extent he needed regular assistance.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and a heart condition due to incomplete information from previous examinations and treatment records.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss has been manifested by hearing acuity of no worse than Level III in the right ear and no worse than Level III in the left ear. The Board denied a compensable rating for his bilateral hearing loss.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss, finding that the evidence is at least in equipoise as to whether these conditions had their onset during or are etiologically related to military service.,Service connection was also granted for hemorrhoids with fistulas and surgery. However, a compensable rating was denied due to lack of functional impairment.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss is denied as his audiometric test results did not meet the criteria for a compensable rating at any time during the pendency of the appeal.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation since February 18, 2011.

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

The Veteran's appeals for earlier effective dates for service connection were dismissed due to their death.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the preponderance of evidence did not support a link to service. The Veteran's noise exposure during active duty was acknowledged but deemed insufficient to establish service connection due to the long passage of time between his separation from service and the onset of symptoms.

The Board denied the claim for TDIU because the Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss disability is not shown to have been manifested by worse than Level III hearing acuity in the right ear and Level I in the left ear, resulting in a noncompensable rating.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that it is related to noise exposure during his military service.

The Board has remanded several issues for further development and examination, including service connection claims for various conditions. The Veteran's hearing loss claim is pending due to incomplete records from his first period of service.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus. The appeal regarding bilateral hearing loss was dismissed as the Veteran withdrew his claim.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss was denied as there is no evidence of a current disability.,Service connection for tinnitus was granted based on its manifestation within one year of separation from service and the Veteran's in-service exposure to acoustic trauma.