Hearing loss decisions — 2021

The Veteran's claim for initial compensable disability rating prior to February 11, 2020 and increased disability rating in excess of 20 percent from February 11, 2020 for bilateral hearing loss was denied.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for prostate cancer, including as due to ionizing radiation exposure is denied. The Veteran's claim for an initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss prior to August 12, 2015 and a rating in excess of 30 percent for bilateral hearing loss from January 23, 2020 to the present are also denied.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the preponderance of evidence did not support a link between these conditions and active duty service.

The Board has remanded several service connection claims due to the need for further development. The Veteran's initial compensable rating for allergic rhinitis is denied, and his right thumb and elbow disabilities are also remanded.

The Board previously denied the claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss. The Veteran appealed, and the Court remanded the case due to missing records of a hearing determination during service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including prostate disorder, hypertension, hearing loss, right knee disability, GERD, urinary incontinence, erectile dysfunction, and respiratory disorder. The evidence did not establish a link between these conditions and service or Agent Orange exposure.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD, increased rating for left knee disability, and initial compensable rating for right ear hearing loss due to insufficient information provided by Joint Service Records Research Center (JSSRC) regarding the claimed in-service stressors. The Veteran is also required to undergo a new VA examination for his left knee disability and right ear hearing loss.

The Veteran's claim for service connection of an eye disability, left ear hearing loss, and psychiatric disabilities is being remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations. The focus will be on determining if these conditions are related to his service or any event during service.

The Board has remanded the claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to a lack of substantial compliance with prior remand directives.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to lack of substantial compliance with previous instructions and the Veteran's inability to attend an examination. The Veteran is asked to provide a written statement about his history of hearing loss symptoms, including when they began.

The Board has denied service connection for a heart disability and an initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss. The Veteran's claim of entitlement to TDIU prior to June 26, 2014 is remanded.

The Veteran's claims for higher ratings for PTSD and bilateral hearing loss, as well as his TDIU claim, are being remanded due to the need for additional medical records and examinations.

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

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete service treatment records from periods of active duty, ACDUTRA, and INACDUTRA. The Veteran's hearing loss is considered a disability for VA purposes.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss as there is no current disability meeting VA criteria.

The Veteran's service connection claims for bilateral hearing loss, headache disorder, sleep apnea and insomnia disorders, type II diabetes mellitus, peripheral neuropathy of the lower and upper extremities, and ischemic heart disease have all been granted.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including coronary artery disease, bilateral knee and hip disabilities, prevented him from securing or maintaining a substantially gainful occupation prior to January 1, 2010. The Board granted the TDIU on an extraschedular basis starting from January 1, 2010.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is not service-connected, but he was granted a TDIU for the period prior to November 7, 2005. His claim for a TDIU from that date to January 1, 2007, was denied.

The Veteran's hearing loss disability is rated at 20% and the claim for an increased rating is denied.,Service connection for a pituitary adenoma is granted based on evidence showing it was caused by radiation exposure during service.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating in excess of 50 percent for a bilateral hearing loss disability is remanded due to the need for VA treatment records and clarification from the private audiologist regarding speech discrimination test used.