Hearing loss decisions — 2021

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection and increased rating for hearing loss disabilities due to inadequate medical opinions provided in prior remands. The claims are being returned for further development.

The Veteran's claims for a compensable rating for a right rib fracture, service connection for hearing loss, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, a right hip disability, and left hip disability have been withdrawn. The Board has also remanded the issues of service connection for neck, right ankle, right knee, and left knee disabilities, as well as gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).

The Veteran's prostate cancer, voiding dysfunction, erectile dysfunction (ED), and right ear hearing loss are all granted as service-connected due to exposure to herbicide agents during his time stationed at Udorn Royal Thai Air Force Base.

The Board has dismissed the claims for service connection for various conditions as it lacks jurisdiction due to the Veteran's death.

The Board has determined that the appellant's claims for service connection on appeal must be remanded due to a lack of VA examinations and development. The claims include bilateral hearing loss, bilateral foot disorder, left shoulder disorder, hypertension, acquired psychiatric disorder (initially claimed as anxiety and/or depression), left eye disorder, bilateral knee disorder, and cervical spine disorder.

The Veteran's left ear hearing loss and tinnitus are granted as service-connected due to in-service noise exposure.,Prostate cancer is presumed service-connected based on herbicide agent exposure during service.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, COPD, TBI, an allergy to petroleum products, and tuberculosis. The cases are REMANDED for further development.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability was rated at 20 percent prior to June 6, 2013 and increased to 30 percent on and after that date. The appeal for higher ratings is denied.

The Veteran's tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss were not incurred or aggravated during service, as there is no evidence of such conditions in the service records. The Veteran's severe cramps in the hands and legs, respiratory disability (claimed as asthma), and sleep disorder are also not linked to his military service.,Service connection for a TDIU was granted due to the Veteran's service-connected disabilities precluding him from securing and following substantially gainful employment.

The Board dismissed the appeals for service connection for left ear hearing loss, CHF, and a respiratory disorder due to the Veteran's withdrawal of his appeal.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and an opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's tinnitus. The claims for service connection for right ear hearing loss and left ear hearing loss remain denied.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for various conditions due to incomplete records and need for further examination.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's tinnitus is related to in-service noise exposure and remanded for further examination regarding his bilateral hearing loss.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's credible statements and objective medical evidence reflect that his tinnitus was caused by in-service noise exposure. Service connection is denied for bilateral hearing loss.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss due to new and material evidence. The case is remanded for further development, including obtaining VA clinical records and a VA examination.

The Veteran's claims for a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss and service connection for a right shoulder disorder were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support direct service connection for either condition.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, DM, PN in both lower and upper extremities, tinnitus, and bilateral hearing loss, render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation. The Board has granted a TDIU based on these conditions.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing has been manifested by hearing acuity of no worse than Level I in the right ear and no worse than Level I in the left ear. The criteria for a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss have not been met.,The claims for entitlement to service connection for a left knee condition, a right knee condition, pseudofolliculitis barbae (PFB), onychomycosis (jungle rot), lichen simplex chronicus (skin disorder on the left scalp), and hypertension are remanded due to inadequate VA medical opinions.,The Veteran's main complaint is effectively reduced hearing acuity and clarity, which is what is contemplated in the rating assigned for bilateral hearing loss. The preponderance of the most probative evidence is against the claim of entitlement to a compensable rating.,For his jungle rot, he reported it started in Taiwan in 1968 and was treated with cream. For the left scalp, he reported receiving cream for it in Thailand and that it would recur. He further indicated that he had a shaving profile for PFB in service.

The Veteran's mild, intermittent balance problems, dizziness, and vertigo due to his service-connected bilateral hearing loss are now rated at a 10% disability level effective April 9, 2011.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right ear hearing loss, headache disorder (migraine), and lumbar spine disorder are related to service. However, additional evidence is needed for these claims as well as clarification on whether his TBI is secondary to sinusitis.