Hearing loss decisions — 2021

The Board has granted service connection for diabetes mellitus type II on a presumptive basis due to herbicide exposure in Thailand. Service connection is denied for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for chronic chin pain, hearing loss, and tinnitus. The claim for chronic chin pain was denied as new and material evidence had not been received to reopen it. Service connection for hearing loss was also denied due to lack of a current disability meeting VA criteria.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is currently rated as 10 percent disabling, and the Board denied a higher initial rating.

The Veteran's TDIU claim was denied as his service-connected disabilities do not meet the minimum percentage requirements for a TDIU, and VA's Director of Compensation Service found that he is unable to obtain or maintain gainful employment due to his service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss disability is currently rated as noncompensable, and the Board finds no basis for a higher rating based on the evidence of record.

The appeals for service connection and increased ratings have been dismissed. The issues of a compensable disability rating for bilateral hearing loss, compensation for a vestibular disorder (claimed as headaches and dizziness), and entitlement to TDIU are remanded.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for various conditions due to incomplete development. The Veteran's records, including imaging studies and community care records, need to be associated with the file.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus disabilities, finding no evidence of in-service noise exposure or continuity of symptoms post-service.

The Veteran's right ear hearing loss is denied as there was no evidence of hearing loss during service or within the presumptive period. The left ear hearing loss is granted.,The Veteran's rheumatoid arthritis is remanded for further review due to conflicting information regarding its onset and relationship to service.

The Board dismissed the Veteran's motion for revision of a June 2012 decision that granted service connection for tinnitus, right ear hearing loss, and a vestibular disorder. The motion did not meet the threshold requirements to establish clear and unmistakable error (CUE).

The Veteran's appeal to reopen his claim of bilateral hearing loss has been dismissed as he requested the withdrawal of this issue.

The Veteran's right ear hearing loss and chronic allergic rhinitis are granted service connection. The Board finds the evidence does not meet criteria for a compensable rating for rhinitis, but affirms service connection. Bilateral knee condition, cervical spine condition, and right thumb condition are remanded for further examination.

The Veteran's hearing acuity was found to be at levels II in the right ear and I in the left ear, resulting in a non-compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss did not manifest in service or to a compensable degree within the applicable presumptive period, and continuity of symptomatology is not established. The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is therefore denied as it is not otherwise etiologically related to in-service disease or injury.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development to include obtaining a new VA examination and opinion regarding right ear hearing loss.

The Veteran's service connection claims for recurrent left leg cellulitis residuals including a scar and left ear hearing loss are granted. The Veteran's claim for an initial compensable rating for right ear hearing loss is remanded.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability is currently rated at 10 percent, and the Board has determined that a higher rating is not warranted based on the evidence of record.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment prior to October 27, 2016.

The Veteran's increased evaluation for service-connected bilateral hearing loss is remanded due to a need for a new VA examination.

The Veteran meets the schedular requirements for TDIU and his service-connected disabilities are so severe as to preclude all forms of substantially gainful employment.