Hearing loss decisions — 2021

The Board has granted the Veteran's request to reopen his service connection claims for Meniere's disease with hearing loss and tinnitus. The case is remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining service personnel records and an addendum opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's Meniere's disease with hearing loss.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for hearing loss, tinnitus, lumbar spine degenerative arthritis and disc disease, left knee arthritis with history of meniscal tear, and right knee arthritis with history of meniscal tear due to new evidence added to his electronic claims file.

The Veteran's claim for an effective date prior to August 1, 1994, for service connection of PTSD was denied. The Board also granted a TDIU based on the Veteran's service-connected disabilities.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) due to service-connected disabilities, finding that his service-connected conditions did not prevent him from obtaining or maintaining substantially gainful employment.

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

The appeals involving the Veteran's claims for hearing loss, PTSD, and a bilateral foot skin disorder have been dismissed due to the Veteran's death.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and episodic dizziness due to lack of substantial compliance with previous remand directives. The case is now returned to the RO for further action.

The Board has determined that additional medical opinions are needed to clarify the etiology of the Veteran's left ear hearing loss, prostatitis, ED, TB residuals and lung nodules/polyps, left ankle stress fracture, left ankle arthritis, and chronic pain all over.,The Veteran is being asked to provide more information regarding his exposure to asbestos aboard the USS Ponce LPD 15. He is also requested to clarify when and where he served for two months and seven days as documented in his DD Form 214.

The Veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for bilateral sensorineural hearing loss disability was denied. The restoration of a 10 percent evaluation from May 2, 2017 for the same condition was also denied.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the nature and etiology of the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss. The claim will be reconsidered with additional development.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is currently rated at zero percent, non-compensable. The most recent audiometric results indicate a slight improvement in her hearing, but this does not warrant an increased rating as the preponderance of evidence supports the current rating.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that the evidence did not support a link between current hearing impairment and in-service noise exposure. The examiner's opinions were considered, with the June 2021 VA examiner providing clear and unambiguous conclusions against the claim.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for initial compensable ratings for bilateral hearing loss and specific phobia, situational (flying anxiety) during the December 2021 Board hearing.

The Board denied service connection for right ear hearing loss and granted service connection for left ear hearing loss and tinnitus. The decision is based on the Veteran's in-service noise exposure, but no significant threshold shifts were found at separation.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, ischemic heart disease, and stroke. The decision found that the Veteran's current conditions are not related to his active service or in-service exposure to herbicides.,Service connection was denied as there is no evidence of a current disability, and the preponderance of the evidence does not support a finding that any current condition is related to service.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to properly adjudicate the service connection claims for various disabilities, including left arm pain, right arm pain, right hip pain, left hip pain, right eye vision loss, bilateral hearing loss, bilateral tinnitus, sleep apnea, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, enlarged prostate, traumatic brain injury (TBI), let leg condition, right leg pain, anxiety condition, and left eye vision loss.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss has been denied. The Board finds that the evidence does not support a higher rating.,The Veteran's service connection claims for ampullary carcinoma and right knee disability have been remanded due to inadequate opinions in previous VA examinations.,The Veteran's total disability due to individual unemployability claim is also remanded as it may be impacted by the above-mentioned issues.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, primarily his coronary artery disease and PTSD, do not prevent him from securing or following substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's claim for an initial, maximum schedular 30 percent rating for benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) associated with bilateral hearing loss is granted from January 15, 2020.

The Board has granted service connection for right ear hearing loss and denied a compensable disability rating for left ear hearing loss.