Hearing loss decisions — 2021

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to new and material evidence having been received. The claims are now pending before the RO.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including coronary artery disease and left hip pain, rendered him unable to secure or maintain substantially gainful employment. The decision grants a TDIU based on these conditions.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and examination, including obtaining SSA records and scheduling VA examinations to determine if the Veteran meets criteria for hearing loss disability in the left ear and if his current residuals of a left triceps injury are related to service.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection are remanded due to the need for new VA examinations and the retrieval of outstanding VA treatment records.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and an increased rating for right femur fracture was dismissed due to the death of the Veteran during the pendency of the appeal.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss prior to October 11, 2019, and a rating in excess of 10 percent thereafter is granted. The Veteran's right elbow lateral epicondylitis remains rated at 10 percent.

The Veteran's tinnitus is granted as service-connected.,Service connection for bilateral hearing loss and COPD are remanded due to insufficient evidence regarding their etiology.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was rated at 40% prior to April 1, 2016. The RO reduced the rating to 10%, effective April 1, 2016, and later restored it to 10% on May 1, 2018.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and bilateral tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's symptoms began during his military service and are related to noise exposure. The decision is based on credible lay statements of the Veteran regarding his in-service noise exposure and symptom onset.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for a 10 percent disability rating for bilateral hearing loss prior to March 2, 2015 is remanded due to procedural issues. The Board found that the Veteran had continuously pursued his claim and consistently responded to VA correspondence in a timely manner.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim of service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that new evidence received since the last final decision supports a current diagnosis and establishes in-service onset. The appeal is based on direct service connection.

The Board has remanded the claims for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and peripheral neuropathy of the right upper extremity due to inadequate examination opinions and incomplete medical history consideration.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the etiology of the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss. A new VA examination is needed to determine if it is at least as likely as not related to in-service noise exposure.

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

The Veteran's right ear hearing loss does not meet the statutory criteria for a diagnosis of hearing loss for VA purposes, and therefore service connection is denied.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a respiratory disability (claimed as sarcoidosis) is denied. The VA examiner found no objective indications of a chronic disability due to an undiagnosed illness or medically unexplained multisymptom illness.,The Veteran's claim for initial compensable rating for service-connected right ear hearing loss is denied. The VA examination showed that the Veteran has mild hearing impairment in his right ear, which does not meet the criteria for a compensable disability rating.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus. The cases of bilateral hearing loss, right hand disability, right wrist disability, and residuals of jungle rot are remanded due to the need for additional evidence.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and effective dates have been denied. The Board found that the effective date for the grant of service connection for PTSD was appropriately assigned as July 15, 2013.

The Board has dismissed the appeals for service connection and compensation ratings for tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss due to the death of the appellant.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, bilateral upper extremity and lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, and an acquired psychiatric condition are remanded due to incomplete medical records and inadequate examination opinions. The RO must obtain all relevant medical records and provide the Veteran with a new VA examination.