Hearing loss decisions — 2021

The Board has granted service connection for gastrointestinal symptoms, tinnitus, and hearing loss related to Gulf War illness. Service connection was denied for chronic headache disability, left leg condition, right leg condition, and sleep apnea.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was evaluated as Level I in all three VA examinations, resulting in a noncompensable disability rating. The Board found that the evidence did not warrant an initial compensable rating for his bilateral hearing loss.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and examination to determine the current severity of the Veteran's PTSD, bilateral hearing loss, and TDIU claims. The Veteran will be provided with VA treatment records and asked to complete a form 21-8940.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for left ear hearing loss, finding that there was no evidence to support a causal relationship between his military service and his current condition.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for right ear hearing loss, initial rating for asthma prior to July 31, 2014, and entitlement to service connection for left ear hearing loss. The Veteran's asthma is currently rated as 30 percent disabling from July 31, 2014.

The Board has granted service connection for a left knee disability, tinnitus, and bilateral hearing loss. The case is remanded for further examination of the Veteran's right ear hearing loss.

The Veteran's initial claim for an initial compensable rating for his bilateral hearing loss disability was denied. From December 31, 2020, the Veteran is granted a 30 percent rating for his bilateral hearing loss disability.

The Board has denied service connection for a right ear hearing loss disability and tinnitus, finding no causal relationship to service. The case is remanded for further examination regarding the chronic right groin abductor ligament strain.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for compensation under the provisions of 38 U.S.C. § 1151 for additional hearing loss, cranial swelling, vertigo, disorientation, memory loss, and left jaw pain need further development as VA examinations are required to address these issues.

The Veteran's multiple nonservice-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for a permanent and total disability rating, as none of them individually or in combination are rated at least 40% disabling. The Board finds that he is not unemployable due to his conditions prior to June 15, 2018.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is at least as likely as not related to his service, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, diabetes mellitus, and Parkinson's disease have all been denied as there is no evidence of in-service injury or disease related to these conditions.

The Board has received additional evidence and the Veteran's representative has requested that this evidence be reviewed by the AOJ/RO. The Board is therefore remanding these matters to comply with the Veteran’s request.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings and service connection have been dismissed due to his withdrawal of the appeal.

The Board has determined that the claims for service connection for hypertension, sinusitis, and bilateral hearing loss need further development due to incomplete records and the need for additional medical opinions.

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

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is rated at 10 percent from August 13, 2009 to December 17, 2020. Since December 17, 2020, the rating has been increased to 20 percent.

The Veteran's left ear hearing loss and TBI are related to service, but the exact nature of the relationship needs further clarification. The Veteran's tinnitus is also related to service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for hearing loss and tinnitus due to potential issues with the VA opinions provided, including a lack of consideration of in-service noise exposure and post-service medical records.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for service connection due to incomplete medical records and an inadequate VA examination.