Hearing loss decisions — 2021

The Board has granted service connection for a bilateral hearing loss disability, finding that the evidence is at least evenly balanced as to whether the Veteran's hearing loss had onset during service.

The Veteran's left otitis externa is granted a 10% disability rating, effective July 8, 2021. For the period prior to June 8, 2021, the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is denied as not meeting the criteria for a compensable rating.

The Veteran's claims for gastrointestinal issues, respiratory disability (COPD), bilateral hearing loss, left ankle disability, hypertension, and sleep apnea have been reopened. However, the Board has determined that there is insufficient evidence to establish service connection for any of these conditions.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection have been dismissed. New evidence has reopened the claim of service connection for coronary artery disease, but it remains denied.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability but remanded the issue of service connection for a left knee disorder due to in-service hazardous noise exposure. The Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss is presumed to be related to his military service.

The Veteran's hearing loss has been rated at 30 percent since October 4, 2019. The Board found that the evidence did not support a compensable rating prior to this date.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is not related to his active duty service and denied his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are remanded due to insufficient evidence regarding herbicide exposure and the presence of a larynx cancer. The VA is instructed to conduct further development, including obtaining additional medical records and determining if any ship was within the 12-mile limit of Vietnam during the Veteran's service.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and entitlement to TDIU due to PTSD. The Veteran's hearing loss is being reviewed again, with a request for an addendum opinion considering articles submitted by the Veteran.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is currently rated at 10 percent prior to February 27, 2019 and remains at that rating. The Board found the evidence insufficient for a higher rating.

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 during or within one year after service and that any current hearing loss is less likely related to military noise exposure. The Board also found that the hearing loss is not secondary to his service-connected epilepsy.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of entitlement to a compensable initial disability rating for left ear hearing loss and service connection for right ear hearing loss due to additional development being necessary.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a respiratory disability was denied. The Board found no objective medical evidence of a current respiratory disability.,For the initial compensable rating prior to November 9, 2020, for bilateral hearing loss disability, the Veteran did not meet the criteria as his hearing acuity was at worst Level I in both ears.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and hypertension, finding that the Veteran did not have a current disability at the time of filing or during the appeal period. For hypertension, the Board also found no evidence to support a presumption based on herbicide exposure.

The Veteran's PTSD is granted a 70 percent rating, and the issues of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and a headache disability are remanded. The issue of TDIU is also remanded.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding whether the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability is related to his military service. The Veteran contends that his hearing loss began during service, but VA medical opinions have not been conclusive.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss, including on an extraschedular basis, was denied. The Board found that the schedular criteria adequately rated his disability and did not warrant an extraschedular evaluation due to lack of marked interference with employment.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is currently rated as noncompensable, with the most recent audiometric evaluations showing level III hearing acuity in the right ear and level II in the left ear. The Board finds that this does not warrant a higher rating.

The Board has granted service connection for Degenerative Disc Disease (DDD) of the lumbar spine and remanded the issue of service connection for Bilateral Hearing Loss Disability.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for sleep apnea and an initial evaluation in excess of 10 percent for bilateral hearing loss. The decision is remanded to obtain additional medical evidence, schedule a VA examination, and readjudicate the appeal.