Hearing loss decisions — 2020

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

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for lumbar disk disease was denied before September 9, 2013. From September 9, 2013 to October 1, 2018, he received a 20% rating. After that date, his condition warranted no higher than a 40% rating. Service connection for bilateral hearing loss was granted.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating prior to July 3, 2019 for bilateral hearing loss is denied as his hearing acuity did not meet the criteria for an increased rating.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection are remanded due to the need for additional examinations and development of records.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that the Veteran's current condition is related to his military service due to acoustic trauma.

The Board has withdrawn the claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, hypertension, throat cancer, and lung cancer. The claim for new and material evidence to reopen service connection for depression is denied. Service connection for skin cancer is also denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right ear hearing loss is related to his military service and granted service connection for this condition.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient medical opinion regarding whether the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss is related to service. An additional VA examination and medical opinion are needed.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and fibromyalgia have been denied. The earlier effective date claim for PTSD has also been denied. The Board has found the Veteran's claims of increased rating for PTSD, service connection for various orthopedic disorders, and service connection for headaches and skin disorder must be remanded due to lack of medical evidence.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss disability is granted at a 100% rating effective March 25, 2014.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, headache disability, back disability, right knee disability, and right shoulder disability due to a lack of current disabilities.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for right ear hearing loss, left ear hearing loss, and right shoulder strain ratings due to new evidence. The TDIU claim is also being remanded as it may be affected by the increased rating claims.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is being remanded for a new VA audiological evaluation to determine the current severity of his service-connected condition.

The Veteran's death was not caused by a service-connected disability, and therefore his cause of death is denied.

The Veteran's appeal for a higher initial rating for his service-connected bilateral hearing loss disability has been dismissed due to the death of the appellant.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have rendered him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation, warranting the grant of TDIU.

The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including bilateral hearing loss, left thumb disorder, bilateral eye disorder, right ankle disorder, hypertension, and nose disorder. The evidence did not support a finding of current diagnoses or a causal relationship between these conditions and the Veteran's active duty service.

The Veteran's claim for an initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss is remanded due to incomplete audiogram and speech recognition test details.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left ear hearing loss is not related to his military service and therefore denied his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was not shown to be related to his service, and the Board denied his claim for service connection.