Hearing loss decisions — 2020

The Veteran's appeal of service connection for hypertension, GERD, and left ear hearing loss has been dismissed. The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 70 percent for major depression is denied. An effective date of August 24, 2018, for the award of a 70 percent rating for major depression is granted.,The Veteran's TDIU claim is granted.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is rated at 20% since December 16, 2019.,The Veteran's right total knee arthroplasty alone does not meet the criteria for TDIU prior to February 26, 2014.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development due to inadequate examination and failure to obtain an addendum opinion.

The Board denied service connection for a bilateral foot disability, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus. The decision found no evidence of an in-service injury or disease that caused these conditions.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss has been consistently rated at a noncompensable level since November 20, 2009. The Board found that the evidence did not support an increase in rating to higher levels.

The Board has remanded the cases for further examination and evaluation due to inadequate previous examinations. The Veteran's hearing loss claim will require a new VA examination, while his right thumb fracture with degenerative arthritis claim requires a new VA hand examination that complies with Correia v. McDonald (2016).

The Veteran withdrew his appeal regarding the increased rating for bilateral hearing loss, and the Board dismissed the case.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hearing loss is due to his in-service noise exposure and grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has granted a 10 percent rating for bilateral hearing loss and service connected the Veteran's bilateral knee disability. The decision is based on medical evidence showing fluctuating hearing acuity and in-service injury to knees, with no presumption of exposure.

The Board has remanded the cases of entitlement to a compensable rating for left ear hearing loss and entitlement to service connection for right ear hearing loss due to incomplete audiological test results.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability was rated as noncompensable prior to January 23, 2018; 30% from January 23, 2018 to February 26, 2018; and 40% beginning February 27, 2018. The Board found that the evidence did not warrant higher ratings for these periods.

The Veteran's appeal for a higher disability rating for his service-connected bilateral hearing loss was dismissed because the Veteran died during the pendency of the appeal.

The Board has granted service connection for lipomas and denied an initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension, a rating for bilateral hearing loss, and TDIU due to service-connected disabilities. The claims are being remanded because there is insufficient evidence of record to determine the nature and etiology of the Veteran's hypertension, as well as his current severity of bilateral hearing loss disability.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including a new VA examination to assess the severity of the service-connected left foot injury and associated ankle disability. The issues include entitlement to increased evaluations for the left foot injury, service connection for BHL and tinnitus, and TDIU.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that the Veteran's current hearing loss did not result from military noise exposure and was more likely due to post-service occupational noise exposure.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for special monthly compensation based on the need for aid and attendance or housebound status due to his stroke residuals, which are not related to his service-connected conditions.

The Board denied a compensable disability rating for the Veteran's right ear hearing loss, finding that his hearing acuity was no worse than Level II in the right ear.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that there was no evidence of in-service injury or disease related to these conditions. The Board also found no presumptive basis for service connection.

The Board has denied service connection for a back disability, bilateral sensorineural hearing loss disability, tinnitus, and impotence claimed as erectile dysfunction due to lack of current diagnoses. The claim for an acquired psychiatric disability is remanded due to the need for additional mental health treatment records.