Hearing loss decisions — 2020

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, chronic tonsillitis (claimed as sinusitis), and chronic sinusitis.,There is no current diagnosis of chronic tonsillitis or chronic sinusitis.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a right knee disability, erectile dysfunction, and bilateral hearing loss are being remanded due to incomplete development.,An effective date earlier than September 24, 2014 for the award of sleep apnea is denied.

The Board has determined that a rating of 30 percent for bilateral hearing loss is warranted as of April 8, 2019. This decision is based on the Veteran's audiometric test results showing decreased hearing acuity.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for seizure disorder and bilateral hearing loss due to inadequate examination reports. The Veteran is not entitled to service connection for these conditions as there is no evidence of a nexus between his current diagnoses and his military service.

The Veteran's left ear hearing loss has been rated as noncompensable since April 14, 2016. The Board found that the evidence did not meet the criteria for a compensable rating.

The Board has remanded the issue of entitlement to service connection for tinnitus due to a lack of an addendum medical opinion addressing whether the Veteran's tinnitus is proximately due to or made worse by his service-connected bilateral hearing loss.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current right ear hearing loss disability as defined by VA regulations. The appeal for service connection for this condition is denied.

The Veteran's bilateral knee disabilities and hearing loss prevent him from performing the physical and mental acts required for employment, meeting the criteria for compensation for Total Disability based on Individual Unemployability (TDIU).

The Board denied service connection for right ear hearing loss, finding that the Veteran's current hearing loss is not related to his military service.,Service connection for diabetes was remanded due to lack of substantial compliance with prior remand directives regarding herbicide agent exposure.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and examination. The Veteran's arthritis of the left hand, bilateral hearing loss, and status post fracture, 5th metacarpal, left hand are all under review.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for an increased rating for bilateral hearing loss and a TDIU due to the presence of unexplained symptoms such as ear pain, which are not adequately addressed by the current schedular criteria. The case is being referred to VA’s Director of Compensation Service for extraschedular consideration.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus but has remanded the issue of service connection for bilateral hearing loss due to insufficient evidence. The Veteran is presumed exposed to acoustic trauma during service as a wheeled vehicle mechanic.

The Veteran's claim for a higher evaluation of his service-connected bilateral hearing loss was denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a compensable evaluation from April 24, 2013 to September 18, 2018 or an increased rating in excess of 20 percent since September 18, 2018.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including hypertension, diabetes mellitus, type 2, peripheral neuropathy, and hearing loss, have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation. The Board has granted the TDIU claim based on these conditions.

The Board has requested a VA examination to determine the current severity of the Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss. Further development is needed, including obtaining audiometric test results from April 2015 and September 2019.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus have been granted service connection, while a 20% rating for his right shoulder disability is granted.

The Veteran's appeal for a higher rating for bilateral hearing loss has been resolved as the AOJ granted a 20% evaluation, effective December 30, 2012. The Veteran withdrew his appeal regarding this issue in June 2020.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that there is no evidence of a nexus between these conditions and his military service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for left ear hearing loss and lower abdominal disorder, finding that there was no evidence of a nexus between these conditions and his active duty service.,The Board also denied the Veteran's claim for TDIU prior to July 29, 2015, as he had been working full-time during this period.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not prevent him from securing or following substantially gainful employment, and therefore, he is not entitled to a TDIU.