Hearing loss decisions — 2021

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was granted a 50% rating from March 7, 2017 to June 26, 2018. Prior to this period and since then, the Veteran has been denied increased ratings for his bilateral hearing loss.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss as there is no current diagnosis of a hearing disability for VA purposes.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable evaluation for his bilateral hearing loss is denied as the current noncompensable evaluation reflects the objective audiometric testing results.

The Board has remanded the cases for additional development, including obtaining audiograms from VA treatment records dated December 11, 2013 and September 16, 2014. The issues of an initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss and TDIU are inextricably intertwined.

The appeal with respect to entitlement to service connection for stenosis of the left leg is dismissed.,The previously denied claim of entitlement to service connection for bilateral hearing loss is reopened, and the Veteran's tinnitus is granted as secondary to his service-connected diabetes mellitus. The claims for lower extremity neuropathy are also granted.

The Veteran's petition to reopen his claim for service connection of a right elbow condition is granted. The Board has also remanded the claims for service connection of bilateral hearing loss and right elbow degenerative arthritis.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 70% effective March 20, 2018. The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss remains at a Level I in the right ear and Level XI in the left ear prior to September 25, 2018, and Level VI in the right ear and Level XI in the left ear from September 25, 2018 onwards. Both issues are remanded for further development.

The Board denied service connection for a low back condition, bilateral hearing loss, and granted service connection for tinnitus. The Board found no link between the Veteran's current conditions and his active duty service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including bilateral hearing loss and adjustment disorder with mixed emotional reaction (claimed as depression), are denied. The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for PTSD and lumbar strain are remanded.

The Board has decided to remand the cases for further development and examination, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and scheduling a VA examination.

The Veteran's appeal for increased ratings for bilateral hearing loss has been dismissed due to the Veteran withdrawing his request through his representative.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient rationale provided by the VA examiner's opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss. The claim is being returned for further development and consideration.

The Veteran's appeals for various conditions were dismissed due to his death while the appeal was pending.

The Board has granted service connection for right ear hearing loss on a presumptive basis as the Veteran's symptoms had their onset in service and have continued since.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are remanded due to the need for a new VA opinion regarding the etiology of his chronic otitis media, perforated tympanic membrane, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus.

The Board has denied service connection for left ear hearing loss as the evidence does not support a finding that it is related to in-service noise exposure.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that there is no evidence of a current disability related to his active-duty service or service-connected TBI.

The Veteran's hearing loss disability is granted a 10 percent rating beginning April 16, 2015. The Board finds remand necessary for further examination and evaluation of the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and psychiatric disabilities.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings and TDIU prior to June 9, 2021 were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a finding of moderate incomplete paralysis for neuritis of the right common peroneal nerve or hearing loss disability warranting higher ratings.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for left ear hearing loss was granted in an October 2021 rating decision, but the appeal is dismissed as moot because there are no remaining issues of error of fact or law to consider.