Hearing loss decisions — 2021

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and left hip disability due to a lack of current medical evidence linking these conditions to her military service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a right knee disorder and an initial compensable evaluation for bilateral hearing loss, finding no evidence of in-service injury or chronic condition that could be linked to his current symptoms.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss due to a lack of evidence showing the presence of a current disability and no causal relationship between in-service noise exposure and present symptoms.,Service connection was also denied for sleeping problems, as there is no evidence that OSA began during service or is related to any service-connected condition.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss, bilateral eye condition (including cataracts), valvular heart disease, and TDIU due to service-connected disabilities. The claims are being remanded for further development including obtaining additional medical opinions.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss rating was restored to 60 percent, and other claims for higher ratings were granted. The SMC based on erectile dysfunction prior to November 2, 2018, is also granted.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's preexisting bilateral hearing loss did not increase in severity during service, and therefore denied his claim for service connection.

The Board has granted the Veteran's request to revise a July 1981 rating decision, finding clear and unmistakable error in not granting service connection for tinnitus and left ear hearing loss. The effective date of this revision is not specified.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient development and lack of in-person examinations. The Veteran is required to provide additional evidence, including a statement from his childhood friend and medical literature addressing depression and headache disorders. He also needs to be provided with an in-person examination to determine the nature and etiology of any acquired psychiatric disorder, migraine headaches, hypertension, sleep apnea, and hearing loss.

The Board has remanded the case due to a need for additional medical opinion regarding whether the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss is related to his in-service noise exposure.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and medical opinions regarding his service-connected disabilities, including right shoulder-AC separation, right knee strain (recharacterized as total knee replacement), cervical spine disability, lumbosacral strain, left elbow avulsion injury with residuals, left upper extremity carpal tunnel syndrome, GERD, malaria residuals, headaches, and bilateral hearing loss. The Veteran is also seeking service connection for his right upper extremity carpal tunnel syndrome.

The Veteran withdrew her appeals for service connection and to reopen claims related to various conditions, including bilateral hearing loss, throat neck tumor, uterine fibroids, anemia, breast leakage, tinnitus, PTSD, pulmonary embolism, brain tumor, eye disability, and hysterectomy.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for low back and right knee disabilities, but has remanded them due to additional development being needed. The claims for bilateral hearing loss and heart disorder are also remanded.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for a compensable evaluation for right ear hearing loss disability and nonservice-connected pension due to insufficient evidence. A new VA examination is needed for the hearing loss claim, and the Veteran must provide updated income information and unreimbursed medical expenses.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims due to the need for additional development, including obtaining medical records and conducting further examinations.

The Board has ordered the case to be remanded for further action due to incomplete records and an inadequate VA examination.

The Board has denied service connection for hypertension and remanded the issue of service connection for bilateral hearing loss due to conflicting evidence and lack of nexus.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was initially denied for a higher rating prior to February 9, 2018. A 10% rating was granted from February 9, 2018 through November 14, 2019. The Veteran's claim for a higher than 20% rating as of November 15, 2019 is denied.

The Board has decided that the right ear hearing loss may be related to service and is remanding for further development.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that it did not meet the criteria due to lack of a nexus between in-service noise exposure and current hearing loss.

The Veteran's initial claim for a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss is remanded due to the need for updated VA treatment records and a new VA audiological examination.