Hearing loss decisions — 2021

The Board has remanded the cases of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and a bilateral eye disability due to incomplete compliance with previous remand instructions.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection on the issues of right knee condition, bilateral hip condition, PTSD, and a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss have been dismissed as he withdrew his appeal. The Board has granted service connection for residuals of superior labral tear in the right shoulder.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable disability rating for bilateral hearing loss was denied as his audiometric testing revealed Level I and Level II hearing acuity throughout the appeal period, which does not meet the criteria for a compensable disability rating.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to the need for further evidentiary development, including obtaining a complete audiometry report and arranging for an appropriate VA audiological examination.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and opinion regarding service connection for bilateral hearing loss, bilateral ankle tendinitis, and acquired psychiatric disorder.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for right ear hearing loss as there is no evidence of a current disability in this condition.

The Veteran's claims for effective dates prior to October 25, 2018 are denied as there was no communication prior to that date that could be construed as a claim.,The Veteran's claims for higher ratings for tinnitus and left ear hearing loss are denied as the evidence does not support such an award.,The Veteran's claims for service connection for right ear hearing loss, right foot neuropathy and dystrophic toenails, and left foot neuropathy and dystrophic toenails are denied due to lack of a current disability for VA purposes.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for lower back disability is denied as the evidence does not support such an award.

The Veteran's hearing loss disability has been rated at 30 percent since July 15, 2019. The Board denied a higher rating as the evidence does not show that his bilateral hearing loss is more than 30 percent disabling.

The Board has withdrawn the appeals for right ear hearing loss and left ear hearing loss. The appeal of PTSD evaluation is remanded due to lack of recent VA treatment records.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus as secondary to service-connected bilateral hearing loss. The Veteran's current hearing loss and tinnitus are found to be related to his in-service acoustic trauma.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for the issue of entitlement to service connection for bilateral hearing loss.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss. The claim for service connection for left below-the-knee amputation remains denied.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for vestibular schwannoma and left ear hearing loss due to a lack of medical nexus opinions and potential radiation exposure.

The Veteran's service connection claims for left ear hearing loss, left shoulder scars, and left shoulder strain and degenerative joint disease were denied. The decision also noted that the Veteran did not have a current diagnosis of left ear hearing loss disability.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus but remanded the issue of service connection for bilateral hearing loss due to insufficient evidence.

The Board has decided that the appellant's bilateral tinnitus is service-connected. However, the claim for bilateral hearing loss needs further examination and a medical opinion to determine if it was incurred in service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection and rating of his bilateral elbow disability, hypertension, respiratory disorder (including asthma, chronic bronchitis, or COPD), right knee degenerative joint disease, left knee degenerative joint disease, and bilateral hearing loss due to COVID-19 concerns.

The Board denied the Veteran's petitions to reopen his claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, right upper extremity radiculopathy, left upper extremity radiculopathy, right lower extremity radiculopathy, and left lower extremity radiculopathy. The evidence submitted since the final decisions did not relate to unestablished facts or raise a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claims.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is found to be related to in-service noise exposure and service connection is granted.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the etiology of the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss, including whether it is related to service or secondary to his service-connected tinnitus.