Hearing loss decisions — 2021

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss has been granted, rendering the appeal moot. The Board dismissed this issue as there is no justiciable issue before it.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus and remanded the issue of a rating in excess of 30 percent for bilateral hearing loss.

The Board has remanded the cases due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the onset and etiology of the Veteran's claimed conditions. The issues will be reconsidered after additional development.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss as there is no evidence of a current disability that meets the regulatory definition of hearing impairment.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, bilateral peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities, and chloracne due to in-service Agent Orange exposure. The claims are being remanded for additional medical opinions.

The Veteran's service connection claims for bilateral hearing loss and heart disorder have been denied as there is no evidence of a link between the conditions and his military service, including exposure to noise or asbestos.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is related to his military service and grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are service-connected, as they are related to his exposure to noise during active military service.

The appeal has been dismissed due to the death of the appellant, and no further action can be taken on this matter.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and examination to address the etiology of the Veteran's cervical spine disability, lumbar spine disability, and psoriasis. The Veteran is also seeking service connection for these conditions.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for bilateral hearing loss prior to August 24, 2021 was denied as his hearing loss did not meet the criteria for a higher rating. From August 24, 2021, he is rated at 50 percent.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for PTSD, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and vitiligo due to insufficient evidence or lack of a nexus between service and these conditions.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for sleep apnea, intestinal disorder, and right ear hearing loss due to insufficient medical opinions and need for further evaluation.

The Veteran withdrew their appeals concerning the issues of PTSD, right shoulder trapezius strain, migraine headaches, right knee disability, and bilateral hearing loss.

The Board has dismissed the appeals regarding an earlier effective date for service connection and a higher rating for bilateral hearing loss as the appellant requested to withdraw their appeal.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, lumbosacral disc bulge at L5-S1, migraine headaches, and hypothyroidism status post thyroidectomy (GOITER) as there was no evidence of a current disability in accordance with VA regulations. The Veteran did not have a bilateral hearing loss disability or ankylosis for the purposes of rating her lumbosacral disc bulge at L5-S1. Her migraine headaches were rated 30 percent disabling, and her hypothyroidism was rated 10 percent disabling.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened and granted. The Board found that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to his active duty/active duty for training military service.,Flat feet, a skin disorder, and severe trench foot (both feet) remain in dispute and require further development.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for bilateral hearing loss and lumbar degenerative joint disease were denied. The Veteran was not granted any additional benefits.

The Veteran's right ear hearing loss has worsened since his last VA audiological examination in 2017, and a new evaluation is needed to determine the current severity of his disability.

The Board has granted service connection for left ear hearing loss, finding that the current disability is related to in-service noise exposure and his service-connected tinnitus.