Hearing loss decisions — 2021

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the relationship between the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and his in-service noise exposure. The claim will be reviewed with a new VA examination.

The Veteran's heart disability is granted service connection due to presumed herbicide exposure. The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is denied for initial compensable ratings and any rating in excess of 30 percent from August 15, 2018.

The Veteran's appeals for initial rating and reopening of service connection claims have been dismissed due to the Veteran's withdrawal of his appeal.

The Board has found that the Veteran's claims for service connection related to left shoulder, back, hearing loss, tinnitus, right-hand disability, and acquired psychiatric disabilities (including PTSD and depression) are remanded due to insufficient evidence. The VA is required to provide a medical examination or obtain an opinion if it is necessary to make a decision on these claims.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to inadequate compliance with previous remand directives. The VA examiner's opinion is deemed insufficient, as it did not consider the concept of delayed onset hearing loss.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating in excess of 20 percent for a bilateral hearing loss disability is being remanded due to the failure to schedule and complete a VA examination.

The Board has remanded the claims for PTSD and bilateral hearing loss due to outstanding VA treatment records, as well as inextricably intertwined with the TDIU claim.

The Board has dismissed the appeals for service connection for hearing loss and a right shoulder condition as the Veteran withdrew his appeal prior to issuance of a decision.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and patellofemoral pain syndrome of the right and left knee are granted as service-connected. The cardiovascular condition is denied.,Service connection for a heart condition is not established.

The Veteran's service-connected anxiety disorder with depressive disorder is rated at 100 percent disabling, and his other service-connected disabilities do not render him unemployable. Therefore, the claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) is denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss is related to in-service acoustic trauma, and thus service connection for this condition is granted.

The Veteran's tinnitus is found to be etiologically related to his period of active service.,Bilateral hearing loss is remanded due to insufficient evidence regarding the relationship between current hearing loss and military noise exposure.

The Board denied service connection for tinnitus and a TDIU rating on an extraschedular basis, finding that the evidence did not support a link between the Veteran's current hearing loss or tinnitus and his military service.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD rendered him unable to secure and follow substantially gainful employment from August 3, 2009 to December 28, 2011. The Board granted a TDIU on an extraschedular basis for this period.

The Board has decided to remand the cases of hearing loss and tinnitus for new VA medical opinions due to a failure to identify and correct VA's duty to assist.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities (bilateral hearing loss and sinusitis) have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation from April 17, 2018, to August 20, 2018. Therefore, the claim for TDIU is granted.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that there is no evidence of a nexus between his current hearing loss and military service.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient consideration of all evidence, including the 1978 induction audiogram and the Veteran's statements about when his hearing loss began. The appeal for service connection for right ear hearing loss is now before the Board.

The Board has dismissed the claims of service connection for bilateral tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss due to the Veteran's death.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to non-compliance with previous directives and an inadequate VA opinion regarding the Veteran's hearing loss claim. The case will be returned for further development, including obtaining additional medical opinions.