Hearing loss decisions — 2021

The Veteran's hearing loss is rated at a 10 percent disability rating as of July 22, 2019. The evidence does not support a compensable evaluation prior to that date.

The Veteran's service connection claims for PTSD, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, thyroid disorder, cardiac disability, arrhythmia, basal cell carcinoma, and sleep apnea have all been granted. The lumbar spine disability claim has not been resolved.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss has been rated at 20% since September 28, 2019. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating based on the severity of his hearing impairment.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for service-connected bilateral hearing loss is remanded due to the need for additional VA examination and treatment records.

The Veteran's migraine disability is granted as secondary to her service-connected visual disability.,Service connection for bilateral hearing loss, low back disability, bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS), diabetes mellitus, type 2 (diabetes), hypertension, and breast cancer are all remanded due to insufficient evidence.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus but has remanded the issue of service connection for bilateral hearing loss due to lack of substantial compliance with previous remand directives.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus do not prevent him from obtaining and maintaining gainful employment, as the Board finds that they alone do not render him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss is denied, and his claim for TDIU is also denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating for his service-connected hearing loss.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are at least as likely as not related to his military service due to exposure to loud noise.

The Board dismissed the appeal for service connection of left ear hearing loss due to the Veteran's death.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss does not warrant a compensable rating at any time during the period on appeal.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate reasoning in a previous VA examination regarding whether the Veteran's current hearing loss disability is related to his period of active duty service. The examiner was instructed to consider the Veteran's reported history and accept as true that he experienced in-service acoustic trauma, but did not address the possibility of delayed-onset hearing loss or discuss the likelihood that noise exposure caused permanent damage to auditory hair cells resulting in greater hearing loss than would otherwise be manifest.

The Veteran's Type II diabetes mellitus is granted as service connected. The Board remanded the issues of service connection for recurrent lumbosacral spine disability, recurrent right shoulder disability, and bilateral hearing loss due to lack of adequate medical evidence.

The Veteran's tinnitus is granted as service-connected.,Bilateral hearing loss is denied as not meeting VA disability criteria.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus prevented him from obtaining and maintaining substantially gainful employment for the period prior to December 29, 2017. The Board has remanded the case to consider a TDIU on an extraschedular basis for this period.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss has been rated at 0 percent since the claim period, as it does not meet the criteria for a higher rating based on the degree of organic impairment of hearing acuity.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased rating for hearing loss, sleep apnea, and peripheral neuropathy were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a compensable initial disability rating for bilateral hearing loss prior to May 15, 2018, or in excess of 10 percent thereafter. Service connection was also denied for obstructive sleep apnea as secondary to PTSD, and for peripheral neuropathy due to herbicide exposure.

The Board has remanded the case due to a need for another VA examination to determine the current severity of the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for SMC based on aid and attendance and/or housebound status due to lack of evidence showing he needed regular assistance or was permanently housebound. The TDIU issue is remanded for consideration of entitlement from May 11, 2016 to February 17, 2017.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unemployable, as his age and other non-service-connected conditions are the primary factors preventing employment.