Hearing loss decisions — 2021

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the relationship between the Veteran's right ear hearing loss and his military service. The Veteran is advised to provide any additional evidence he may have.

The Veteran's gastritis and GERD were granted a disability rating of 30 percent, effective from May 17, 2011 to February 24, 2021. For the period from February 25, 2021 to present, he was granted a disability rating of 40 percent for gastritis and GERD. The Veteran's left ear hearing loss was denied as it did not meet the criteria for a compensable rating.

The Board has remanded the claim for an initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss prior to April 9, 2018 due to a need for additional development and clarification of the Veteran's disability level.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's coronary artery disease is service connected. The remaining issues of service connection for bilateral hearing loss, eye disabilities, back disability, and foot disabilities are remanded for further development.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss. The Veteran is presumed exposed to acoustic trauma during service, and he must provide additional evidence to establish a connection between his current condition and military noise exposure.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, shin splints, and hearing loss. The claims are being returned for additional development.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are remanded due to insufficient evidence regarding his in-service exposure to herbicide agents. The Board will attempt to verify whether the planes that operated on the USS Coral Sea landed in or near Vietnam.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection of bilateral hearing loss was dismissed due to his death before a decision could be made.

The Board has dismissed all service connection claims due to the Veteran's death.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional VA treatment records and medical opinions. The issues include psychiatric conditions, gastroenteritis, hepatitis B and C, hypertension, erectile dysfunction, tinnitus, benign paroxysmal positional vertigo, bilateral hearing loss, and a right wrist disability.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and vertigo, as the VA examinations did not adequately consider the Veteran's credible lay statements regarding his symptoms.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim of service connection for left ear hearing loss, finding that his level of hearing impairment did not meet the criteria for a disability as defined by VA regulations.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a TDIU prior to January 14, 2021 due to insufficient evidence showing he was unemployable by reason of his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right ear hearing loss disability was shown in active service and there have been subsequent manifestations of this disability during the appeal period, thus granting service connection.

The Veteran's claims for higher initial ratings for bilateral hearing loss and entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability prior to October 5, 2018 are being remanded due to the receipt of additional evidence.

The Board has decided to remand the claims for additional development due to insufficient evidence and need for clarification of opinions.

The Board has remanded the case due to the inadequacy of a previous VA medical opinion, and now requires a new one based on the Veteran's entire history including his statements about when he first noticed hearing loss.

The Board has denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and remanded the issue of service connection for a hand disability (carpal tunnel syndrome). The Veteran's claim is being returned to the RO for further development.

The Veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are reopened. The Veteran is granted service connection for right ear hearing loss, but denied left ear hearing loss and tinnitus.

The Board denied an earlier effective date for service connection of bilateral hearing loss, finding that the Veteran did not detrimentally rely on VA's notice and thus his original claim was abandoned.