Hearing loss decisions — 2021

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a right arm disability and bilateral hearing loss have been denied as there is no evidence of current disabilities separate from his already service-connected conditions.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability, finding that there is no evidence linking his current hearing loss to his military service.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss, finding that it is related to his military service and resolving reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability is being remanded for a new VA examination to assess its current severity.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to his active service, granting service connection for these conditions.

The Veteran's right ear hearing loss is granted as service-connected. The initial rating for left ear hearing loss and the claim for coronary heart disease (claimed as ischemic heart disease) are remanded due to insufficient evidence. The foot disorder claim is also remanded.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the claim of entitlement to service connection for a heart disorder. The appeal as to the claims of entitlement to service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, COPD (to include as secondary to a heart disorder), and bronchitis is REMANDED.

The Veteran was granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities prior to April 8, 2014. The Board found that the Veteran's service-connected conditions rendered him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that his current hearing loss disability did not originate in service and is not otherwise etiologically related to his active service.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional examinations and to obtain relevant medical records. The issues include seeking higher ratings for service-connected disabilities, determining the nature of a claimed traumatic brain injury, and evaluating the impact on TDIU.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to several issues, including providing a copy of the November 2020 SSOC to the Veteran's correct representative and obtaining an addendum opinion from an appropriate clinician regarding the etiology of the right ear hearing loss disability.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for his service-connected bilateral hearing loss and dismissed his TDIU claim. The evidence showed Level II hearing acuity in both ears, which corresponded to a non-compensable disability rating.

The Veteran's claim for an initial compensable disability rating for right ear hearing loss was denied as her hearing acuity has not worsened to a level that would warrant a higher rating.

The reduction of the rating for bilateral hearing loss from 10 percent to a noncompensable rating was proper, and entitlement to restoration of the 10 percent rating is denied.

The Veteran's petition to reopen claims for service connection for tinnitus, bilateral hearing loss, and bipolar disorder was granted. The claim for PTSD was denied as new evidence did not raise a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claim.,The Board found that there is current diagnoses of an acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD (bipolar disorder) and remanded the claims for service connection for tinnitus, bilateral hearing loss, and back disorder.

The Veteran's death pension benefits claim was denied due to lack of active military service for pension purposes. The cause of death remanded for a medical opinion on whether PTSD contributed to the cause of death.

The Veteran's recurrent tonsillitis and bilateral hearing loss have been granted service connection, with the tonsillitis being found to have occurred during active service and continued thereafter. The hearing loss has been rated at 10 percent since the initial grant of service connection.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that the Veteran's current hearing loss is a progression of the hearing loss present during active service. The decision also remanded the issue of service connection for tinnitus.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal regarding the issue of entitlement to service connection for bilateral hearing loss.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss is remanded due to the lack of recent VA examination and the Veteran's assertion that his disability has worsened since the last examination.