Hearing loss decisions — 2020

The Board has denied service connection for right ear hearing loss due to lack of evidence meeting VA compensation criteria. The issue of service connection for alcoholism as secondary to major depression is remanded.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and bilateral hearing loss, finding that his conditions are not related to military service. The Board also denied a TDIU rating due to insufficient combined disability ratings.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's appeals for a disability rating in excess of 10 percent for lumbosacral strain, spondylolisthesis and spinal fusion, and for a disability rating in excess of 70 percent for PTSD. The appeal for service connection for left ear hearing loss is remanded.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was initially granted service connection at a noncompensable rate. However, due to his complaints of worsening symptoms and the passage of time since his last VA examination, the Board has decided to remand this matter for a new evaluation.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that there is no evidence of a current disability related to in-service noise exposure and that the Veteran did not serve in Vietnam. The Board also found that the Veteran's recent allegations of hearing loss are not credible.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's symptoms are related to his in-service noise exposure.

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

The Veteran's appeal seeking a Higher-Level review of the AOJ's decision regarding the timeliness of his November 2019 'legacy' notice of disagreement for service-connected bilateral hearing loss is granted. The Veteran was due a Higher-Level review from the AOJ.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are at least as likely as not related to his in-service noise exposure, resulting in a grant of service connection for both conditions.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus but has remanded the issue of service connection for bilateral hearing loss due to a lack of sufficient evidence.

The Veteran's petition to reopen service connection for left ear hearing loss was granted. Service connection for insomnia disorder as secondary to service-connected disabilities was also granted, but the effective date for tinnitus remains denied. The rating for right ear hearing loss is denied, and several other issues are remanded.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The rating for tinnitus was not granted, the rating for bilateral hearing loss was not granted in excess of 40 percent, and the rating for a left knee disability was not granted in excess of 30 percent. Service connection for gout of the left ankle, right ankle, and left toe was also denied.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus but remanded the issue of service connection for bilateral hearing loss due to lack of medical evidence supporting a nexus between current hearing loss and in-service noise exposure.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for left ear hearing loss is dismissed as the RO already granted this condition in an August 2012 rating decision.,Service connection was denied for right ear hearing loss due to lack of evidence showing a current disability. The Veteran did not have hearing loss defined by VA standards at any time during the appeal period.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability was rated at 40 percent prior to September 14, 2020 and in excess of 40 percent from that date. The Board found the evidence did not warrant a higher rating.

The Board has remanded the cases for further action due to procedural errors and the need for additional examinations.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for diabetes mellitus, right ear hearing loss, and service connection due to lack of current diagnoses or evidence supporting a positive nexus. The Veteran will need to undergo additional examinations to determine his current conditions and their etiology.

The Board has decided to remand the cases of bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus for further examination and opinion due to the need for additional medical evidence.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his service-connected bilateral hearing loss was denied. Prior to December 9, 2019, the Veteran did not meet the criteria for a compensable rating (prior to that date he had Level I and II hearing in both ears). From December 9, 2019 onwards, he met the criteria for a 10 percent disability evaluation.

The Board has decided that more development is needed to determine if the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is related to his military service, including considering new medical research provided by the Veteran's representative.