Hearing loss decisions — 2021

The Veteran's appeal for service connection of bilateral hearing loss is remanded due to uncertainty regarding the presence and cause of his hearing impairment, particularly in his left ear. The case will be reviewed again with further medical examination.

The Veteran's claim for an initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss is remanded due to missing audiometric test results and treatment records.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for bilateral pes planus prior to January 15, 2021 is denied. The Board found the evidence did not show pronounced disability and thus only granted a 30 percent rating.,Service connection for left ear hearing loss was denied as there was no evidence of current hearing loss related to service.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's right ear hearing loss disability. The Veteran is seeking service connection for this condition, which was denied in a previous decision and remanded multiple times.

The Veteran's initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss is being remanded due to the need for a new examination to assess the current severity of his condition.

The Board has remanded the case for further examination and evaluation, specifically regarding the Veteran's lumbar spine disability. The issues include determining if a compensable rating is warranted for each of his service-connected conditions.

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

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are found to be service-connected.,The Veteran's allergies, skin disorder (dermatitis and seborrheic keratosis), hypertension, adult-onset diabetes, digestive disorder, right upper extremity peripheral neuropathy, left upper extremity peripheral neuropathy, right lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, and left lower extremity peripheral neuropathy are not found to be service-connected.

The Veteran's appeal for a higher rating for his bilateral hearing loss is remanded due to unclear compliance with VA regulations regarding the private audiological examination conducted in July 2013.

The Veteran's service-connected left ear hearing loss is currently rated as noncompensable. The Board found that the Veteran does not have an exceptional pattern of hearing loss and his symptoms are contemplated by the rating criteria.

The Board denied service connection for a right shoulder injury and bilateral hearing loss, finding no evidence of in-service injury or noise exposure that could be linked to the current conditions.

The Board granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and multiple sclerosis, finding that the Veteran's symptoms were continuous since service separation. The rating assigned is 0% (no disability rating), effective date is not specified.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is remanded due to incomplete information about his employment history and the need for updated Social Security Administration records.

The Veteran withdrew his claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, resulting in the dismissal of these issues.

The Veteran's appeal for a compensable rating for service-connected bilateral hearing loss has been dismissed due to the death of the appellant.

The Board denied the reopening of a claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss because no new and material evidence was submitted, despite the Veteran's in-service noise exposure. The Board found that the newly received evidence did not raise a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claim.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to inadequate opinions provided by a VA audiologist. The case will be returned for further examination and opinion.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that there was no evidence of a significant threshold shift or hearing loss during his military service and concluding that the Veteran's current hearing loss is not related to his in-service noise exposure.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that the Veteran's current condition is due to noise exposure during her second period of active service.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for unspecified disability, carpal tunnel syndrome (claimed as bilateral hand neuropathy), and bilateral hearing loss. The Veteran's claims are being returned to the agency of original jurisdiction (AOJ) for additional development.