Hearing loss decisions — 2020

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate medical opinions regarding the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss. The Veteran contends that his hearing loss is related to military service, but the VA examiners have not provided a clear opinion on this issue.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss has been rated as zero percent since his initial grant of service connection in July 2011. The most recent VA examinations have shown that the Veteran’s hearing impairment is at levels II and IV, resulting in a noncompensable rating.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities prevented him from obtaining and maintaining substantially gainful employment, leading to a TDIU for the period prior to May 8, 2019.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and readjudication due to new evidence added to the record since the February 2014 Statement of the Case.

The Board has found that there has not been substantial compliance with the remand requests and thus, another remand is necessary to schedule the Veteran for VA examinations to determine the nature and etiology of claimed hearing loss, asthma, and pulmonary tuberculosis.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient information in the VA examiner's opinion regarding whether the Veteran’s bilateral hearing loss is related to his service, including any noise exposure.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and skin condition due to incomplete records from West Haven VAMC. The Veteran's correct date of birth needs to be used in the request.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus but has remanded the issue of bilateral hearing loss due to an inadequate VA opinion. The Veteran's tinnitus is found to be at least as likely as not related to in-service noise exposure, while his bilateral hearing loss requires further examination and opinion.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection for sinusitis and GERD have been withdrawn.,Service connection has not been granted for bilateral hearing loss, obstructive sleep apnea, left knee patellofemoral pain syndrome, or lumbar spine with degenerative joint disease.

The Veteran's appeal regarding the validity of an overpayment of his VA compensation benefits due to apportionment awarded to his minor children has been dismissed.

The Board has determined that the grant of service connection for bilateral hearing loss was not clearly and unmistakably erroneous, thus restoring it.

The Board has granted earlier effective dates of August 29, 2012 for both the TDIU and Chapter 35 DEA benefits. The Veteran's service-connected disabilities were found to have precluded him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation since that date.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that his current hearing loss was not related to his active military service.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for his service-connected bilateral hearing loss is being remanded due to the need for a more contemporaneous examination.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss has been rated as noncompensable, with a pure tone threshold average of no higher than 50 decibels (dB) for the right ear and 37.5 dB for the left ear, with speech discrimination scores of at least 94 percent in both ears.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for erectile dysfunction, bilateral hearing loss, sleep apnea, and left knee condition have been denied. The Board has remanded the claims for sleep apnea and left knee condition.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for tinnitus, bilateral hearing loss disability, and a neck condition due to insufficient evidence in the current record.

The Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss disability, tinnitus, and service connection for various peripheral neuropathies have been remanded due to the need for further development.,Service connection has not been established for low back disability, right hand disability, left hand disability, right knee disability, or left knee disability.

The Board has granted service connection for a lumbar and thoracic spine disability, a sciatic nerve disability (secondary to the lumbar and thoracic spine disability), and denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss. The decision on the issue of service connection for bilateral hearing loss is pending at the RO.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss. The remaining issues of service connection are remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions.