Hearing loss decisions — 2021

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are related to his active duty service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to insufficient evidence in the record regarding his service connection.

The Board has remanded the case due to conflicting opinions regarding whether the Veteran's left ear hearing loss is related to service. The examiner will need to provide a new opinion on this issue.

The Board has remanded the claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to inadequate etiology opinions. The Veteran's current hearing loss is related to in-service noise exposure, but further examination is needed.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) due to service-connected disabilities, including hypertension and bilateral hearing loss. Additional development is needed to ascertain the current severity of his hypertension and obtain employment information from his former employer.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development due to insufficient evidence regarding the current severity of service-connected hearing loss and the etiology of sleep apnea. The Veteran will need to undergo new VA examinations.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for hearing loss and tinnitus due to insufficient medical opinions based on the Veteran's in-service noise exposure, post-service occupation history, and private medical records.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that there was no evidence of a medical nexus to his military service.

The Board has dismissed all the issues of service connection for various conditions as the Veteran died during the appeal process.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that the Veteran's hearing was within normal limits at separation from active duty and there is no evidence of a continuity of symptoms since service. The Board also found no medical opinion linking the current hearing loss to in-service noise exposure.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that it is at least as likely as not related to his military service due to noise exposure.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss does not warrant a compensable rating prior to January 23, 2020 and in excess of 10 percent thereafter.

The Board has dismissed all pending appeals due to the Veteran's withdrawal of his claims.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and acoustic neuroma, finding that the Veteran's conditions are related to his time in active service.

The Board has restored the Veteran's 50 percent rating for bilateral hearing loss, which had been reduced to 40 percent effective June 1, 2017. The reduction was found to be improper due to a lack of evidence showing an actual improvement in the Veteran's ability to function under ordinary conditions.

The Board dismissed the appeals of the Veteran's claims for service connection due to his death.

The Board has denied service connection for a right ear hearing loss disability and tinnitus, but has remanded the issue of service connection for residuals of a respiratory disability.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for right ear hearing loss and left ear hearing loss were denied. The claim for a rating in excess of 70 percent for PTSD prior to February 24, 2020 was also denied. However, the Veteran received a TDIU from April 7, 2014 to February 24, 2020.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for a left elbow disability, lumbar spine disability, and left epididymis cyst and left groin pain. The Veteran's migraine headache claim was reopened due to new evidence submitted.,The Board has also remanded the issue of increased rating for cervical degenerative disc disease and right shoulder impingement syndrome.,For the issues not related to service connection, the Board will proceed with adjudication based on the existing evidence.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was rated at 10 percent from February 14, 2013 to April 9, 2017 and increased to 50 percent from April 10, 2017 to October 22, 2019. The claimant's bilateral hearing loss was rated at 80 percent effective October 23, 2019.