Hearing loss decisions — 2021

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient information regarding the Veteran's employment status and the impact of his service-connected conditions on his ability to work. The AOJ is instructed to schedule the Veteran for VA examinations or telehealth interviews to obtain this information.

The Board denied service connection for obstructive sleep apnea and bilateral hearing loss, finding that the evidence did not support a link to active duty or Reserve service.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was not shown as chronic in service and did not manifest to a compensable degree within the applicable presumptive period. Continuity of symptomatology is not established, and the disability is not otherwise etiologically related to an in-service injury or disease.

The Board has granted service connection for headaches, as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected tinnitus. The mood disorder claim was previously denied and is no longer before the Board.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability has been reopened and granted. Service connection is also granted for right carpal tunnel syndrome, but the increased rating for degenerative arthritis of the right hand remains denied. The claims for service connection for erectile dysfunction secondary to PTSD, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) secondary to PTSD, and tinnitus are remanded.

The Board denied service connection for right knee osteoarthritis, left knee osteoarthritis, left ankle osteoarthritis, and bilateral sensorineural hearing loss as they were not incurred or aggravated by military service.

The Veteran's claims of service connection for hearing loss, PTSD, and a psychiatric disorder other than PTSD have been denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support the presence of these conditions during active duty or due to service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss due to inadequate examination and incomplete medical records.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for right ear hearing loss and an initial compensable rating for left ear hearing loss, finding that there was no evidence of a current disability in either ear.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss has worsened since his last examination in March 2017, and a new VA examination is required to assess the current severity of his condition.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss is currently manifested by no worse than Level II hearing in his right ear and no worse than Level II hearing in his left ear, resulting in a noncompensable initial rating. The Board finds that the criteria for a compensable initial rating have not been met.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for left foot disability, left knee disability, TBI, bilateral hearing loss, and eye condition due to inadequate examinations and lack of nexus opinions.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current condition is at least as likely as not related to his military service. However, service connection for bilateral hearing loss was denied due to a lack of evidence linking the current condition to active duty.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional evidence, including terminal hospital records and private medical records. The Veteran's cause of death is currently under review.

The Veteran's PTSD is granted a 100 percent initial disability rating, and his shrapnel scars are granted a noncompensable rating. The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss claim is denied.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are due to his in-service acoustic trauma.

The Board has dismissed the appeals for service connection due to the death of the appellant.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus on a presumptive basis due to continuous symptoms since service separation.

The Veteran's PTSD is not productive of occupational and social impairment warranting a higher rating.,The Veteran has no worse than Level I hearing loss in each ear, which does not meet the criteria for an increased rating.,Service connection for pain in the left foot with swelling, numbness, tingling toes, and frost bite is denied as there is no evidence of such disability related to service exposure or cold injury.,Service connection for pain in the right hand with numbness and tingling is denied as there is no evidence of such disability related to service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus is granted. The Board finds that the Veteran has a history of noise exposure in service and credible testimony indicating he experienced ringing in his ears since service, which the Board resolves in favor of the Veteran. Service connection for bilateral hearing loss is remanded due to inadequate audiometric testing.