Hearing loss decisions — 2020

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's conditions began during active service or are causally related to his noise exposure during active service.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's conditions are at least as likely as not related to in-service noise exposure.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for right ear hearing loss and a compensable rating for left ear hearing loss, finding that there is no evidence of a current disability in either ear.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss and headaches due to inadequate examination in July 2019. The Veteran is not entitled to service connection for his claimed conditions as there is no evidence of a current disability related to service.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss should be remanded due to a lack of adequate medical opinion and consideration of the intertwined nature of his tinnitus and hearing loss.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is found to be the result of noise exposure during service, and he is granted service connection for this condition.

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

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including his adjustment disorder with depression and various physical conditions, prevent him from securing and maintaining gainful employment. The Board has granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU).

The Veteran's left ear hearing loss disability is granted service connection, but the bilateral hearing loss disability does not warrant an initial compensable rating.

The Board has denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus. The claims for lower back, right hip, left hip, right hand, left hand, right finger(s), left finger(s), and dizziness are remanded for further development.

The Board denied service connection for hearing loss as there was no evidence showing the condition had its onset in service or is otherwise related to service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the schedular requirements for a TDIU, nor does the evidence show that he is unable to obtain or maintain substantially gainful employment solely as a result of his service-connected disabilities. The Board denied entitlement to TDIU, including on an extraschedular basis.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's right ear hearing loss disability, finding that it is at least as likely as not related to military noise exposure.

The Veteran is granted a TDIU rating from March 25, 2014. Prior to that date, the criteria for a TDIU were not met.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss. A new examination is required with a specific focus on whether the condition began in service and if it is related to service, specifically noise exposure.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's complaints of hearing loss in service are at least as likely as not related to his current condition. The Board also found that his tinnitus is secondary to his now service-connected bilateral hearing loss.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, diabetes mellitus, and various knee and foot conditions, effectively preclude him from all forms of substantially gainful employment. The Board finds that the criteria for a TDIU have been met due to the combined effect of his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is rated at 10 percent prior to September 10, 2020 and at 40 percent thereafter. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating for any period.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, anxiety, depression, mood disorders, tinnitus, left wrist disability, and hearing loss in the left ear, have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation. The Board has granted TDIU based on these conditions.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's service connection claims, including for an evaluation of his umbilical hernia, bilateral hearing loss, right knee disability, retinal damage of the right eye, dry eye disability, sleep apnea, bilateral pes planus, and a cervical spine disability. The Veteran is also being remanded for further examination to determine if he has these conditions.