Hearing loss decisions — 2021

The Board has remanded the case due to an inadequate VA audiological examination and medical opinion provided in August 2018, which relied on conflicting findings regarding in-service noise exposure. The Veteran's hearing loss disability is at least likely related to service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for tremors of the bilateral upper extremities and bilateral hearing loss, finding that there was no evidence linking these conditions to his military service or any service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability and PTSD have been granted. The Veteran is currently rated at 100% for his PTSD, effective from September 30, 2011 to August 6, 2020.

Your appeal for service connection for bilateral hearing loss has been dismissed because the claim was granted in a July 2020 rating decision.

The Board dismissed the appeal for bilateral hearing loss and granted service connection for depression and anxiety disorders, PTSD with depression and anxiety, low back disorder, neck/cervical spine disorder, left knee disorder, right knee disorder, left ankle disorder, right ankle disorder, tinnitus, and erectile dysfunction. The decision on these issues is based on their merits.

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

The Veteran's claims for service connection were dismissed due to his death.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus but denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss.

The Veteran's cervical spondylosis at C6-C7 is currently rated as 10 percent disabling. The Board has granted a separate 40 percent rating for right upper extremity radiculopathy and a separate 30 percent rating for left upper extremity radiculopathy, both effective November 10, 2010.

The Board has remanded the claims for further development, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and scheduling the Veteran for examinations to determine the nature and etiology of his left knee disability and any acquired psychiatric disorder. The claims for bilateral hearing loss and service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder are not addressed in this decision.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to a lack of entrance examination in his file, which is necessary to properly adjudicate these claims.

The Veteran's service connection claims for right ear hearing loss, left ear hearing loss, lumbar spine disability, bowel and bladder dysfunction, hip impairments, ankle strains, flat feet, knee limitations of flexion, shoulder disability, elbow bursitis/limitation of flexion, and tension headaches have been granted. The Veteran also received increased ratings for his right hip impairment and limitation of extension as well as a 60 percent rating for his lumbar spine disability effective November 13, 2014.

The Board has remanded the case due to concerns raised in a Joint Motion for Remand (JMR), additional evidence submitted by the Veteran, and a cited medical article. The AOJ is required to review the claims based on all available evidence.

The Board has remanded the claims for further evidentiary development due to inconsistencies and lack of clarity in the evidence provided.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to outstanding records and need for medical examinations. The issues include right knee, right ankle, left ankle disabilities, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus.

The Veteran's tinnitus is granted as service connected.,Right ear hearing loss is denied as not meeting VA criteria for a disability. The Veteran's left ear hearing loss remains under review.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to inadequate VA examination opinions. The Veteran contends that her hearing loss and tinnitus are related to exposure to acoustic shock during active duty.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 50% and denied a higher rating.,There is no current diagnosis of bilateral hearing loss for VA purposes, thus service connection is denied.,Bilateral pes planus was found to have existed prior to service and not aggravated by service. Service connection is also denied.

The Board has granted an earlier effective date of December 7, 1998 for the establishment of entitlement to a total disability rating based upon individual unemployability (TDIU) due to service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's initial claim for an initial compensable rating for left ear hearing loss is denied as his service-connected left ear hearing loss has been manifested by no worse than Level IX hearing impairment.