Hearing loss decisions — 2021

The Board has reopened the previously denied claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, as new and material evidence was received. However, the claim of service connection for both conditions remains denied.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for sleep apnea, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, colon cancer, and an acquired psychiatric disorder. The evidence does not support a finding that any of these conditions began during or are otherwise related to military service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not prevent him from obtaining or maintaining gainful employment, and therefore a TDIU is denied.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is related to noise exposure during his military service and has been granted as service connected.

The Board has granted service connection for right ear hearing loss and denied service connection for left ear hearing loss. The Veteran's GERD is also found to be related to his military service. Other issues regarding ratings for knee disabilities are remanded.

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

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss has been manifested by hearing acuity of no worse than Level III in the right ear and no worse than Level II in the left ear over the period on appeal. The Board denied an initial compensable rating for his bilateral hearing loss.

The Board has identified several issues for remand, including the need to review new VA outpatient treatment records and private medical records, obtain missing audiometric results and civilian employment records, conduct new examinations regarding bilateral lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, bilateral hearing loss, and hypertension, and schedule a TDIU examination. The claims are being returned to the AOJ for further action.

The Board denied the Veteran's request for an earlier effective date of August 22, 2007 for service connection of bilateral hearing loss due to clear and unmistakable error in the August 14, 2007 rating decision. The claim was reopened on September 14, 2017.

The Veteran's claims for diabetes mellitus, bilateral hearing loss disability, tinnitus, and various cold injury residuals are denied. The claim for chronic obstructive airway disease is also denied.

The Veteran's currently diagnosed bilateral hearing loss is related to in-service noise exposure, and the Board has granted service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is manifested by numeric designations of hearing impairment no greater than Level II for either ear, and therefore does not warrant a compensable disability rating.

The Veteran's OSA is granted as secondary to his service-connected PTSD.,Right ear hearing loss is granted based on aggravation during service.,Left ear hearing loss is granted as a result of active service exposure.,Ocular auras are granted as secondary to traumatic brain injury (TBI).,A right ankle deltoid ligament sprain is granted as related to active service.

The Board dismissed the appeals for service connection of right ear hearing loss and post-traumatic stress disorder due to the Veteran's death during the appeal process.

The Veteran's tinnitus is granted as service-connected.,Issues related to bilateral hearing loss, diabetes mellitus type II, and peripheral neuropathy in the upper and lower extremities are remanded for further development.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the percentage requirements for a schedular TDIU rating, and there is no evidence to support an extraschedular TDIU rating due to her ability to secure and follow substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD is granted with an initial rating of 70 percent, effective September 20, 2016. Service connection for bilateral tinnitus, bilateral hearing loss, and lumbar spine disability are also granted.

The Board has granted effective dates of October 9, 2009 for the grant of service connection for PTSD, hearing loss, and tinnitus. The decision is based on the Veteran's claim filed at a mandatory Department of Defense Yellow Ribbon event in September 2009.

The Veteran's claims for an earlier effective date for service connection of bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were denied as there was no prior claim filed within one year of separation from active duty.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including depression, is granted. However, his claim for service connection for a bilateral hearing loss disability is denied.