Hearing loss decisions — 2021

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus do not meet the criteria for SMC based on aid and attendance or housebound status as they do not cause physical incapacity requiring care or assistance of another on a regular basis.

The Board has granted service connection for left ear hearing loss, right ear hearing loss, and tinnitus based on the evidence showing exposure to noise during active duty service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability is being remanded due to the failure of the AOJ to conduct a VA examination as requested in the previous remand. The Veteran feels that his right ear hearing has become worse since 2014, and no subsequent adjudication of the claim has been made.

The Board has decided to remand the case for further development due to outstanding VA audiograms and additional evidence added to the claims file since July 2020.

The Veteran's service connection claims for chronic kidney disease, right ear hearing loss, and diabetes mellitus, type II are denied. The claim for a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss is denied. Service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II, is remanded.

The Veteran's right ear hearing loss has been rated as non-compensable, and the Board finds that a compensable rating is not warranted based on the evidence provided.

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

The Veteran's hearing impairment has not reached the level for a compensable rating, as it is currently rated at 0 percent. The VA examiner found that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss does not warrant a higher rating based on his functional impact and current audiometric test results.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient reasoning in previous VA opinions and the need for a new opinion on the etiology of the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss.

The Board has remanded the cases due to uncertainty regarding the Veteran's duty status during his National Guard service, which impacts his entitlement to service connection for left knee disability, low back disability, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus.

The Board has denied service connection for tongue cancer, bilateral hearing loss, thyroid disorder, and dysphagia as these conditions are not related to the Veteran's military service. The primary disability of tongue cancer was found not to be related to presumed exposure to herbicide agents during service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including laryngeal cancer and hearing loss, prevented him from securing or following substantially gainful employment. The Board granted TDIU on an extraschedular basis for accrued benefits.

The Board has dismissed the appeals regarding service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus as they were granted in a previous rating decision. The claims of service connection for diabetes mellitus type II (diabetes) and bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy are denied.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the appellant's current conditions are at least as likely as not related to noise exposure during his qualifying periods of full-time duty in the North Dakota Army National Guard.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection for bilateral eye disability, bilateral hearing loss, epilepsy, and a psychiatric disability (claimed as PTSD) have been dismissed. The appeal for service connection for a psychiatric disability is being remanded.

Your claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus have been dismissed as they were removed from the legacy appeal system under the RAMP program.

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

The Veteran's appeal for service connection of right ear hearing loss has been dismissed as the appellant withdrew his appeal.

The Board dismissed the claim for left thumb condition as it was withdrawn by the appellant. The issues of rating in excess of 10 percent for bilateral hearing loss, entitlement to a separate rating for a psychiatric impairment (depression and anxiety) as a manifestation of service-connected hearing loss, and TDIU due to service-connected disabilities are remanded.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that there was no evidence linking his current condition to service, including noise exposure. The preponderance of evidence indicated that his hearing loss began after service and is not related to military service.