Hearing loss decisions — 2021

The Veteran's claims for service connection for IBS with duodenal ulcer, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus have been denied.,An effective date earlier than June 13, 2018 for the grant of service connection for these conditions is also denied.

The Board has remanded the claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) due to additional delay and need for an addendum opinion regarding the impact of the Veteran's service-connected disabilities on his employment.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for a heart condition, blood clots of bilateral lower extremities, dizziness (vertigo), and bilateral hearing loss due to exposure to non-ionizing radiation as a ground radio operator during service. The claims are being remanded for further development including obtaining medical records and scheduling VA examinations.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is granted as service-connected. The issue of entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) due to service-connected disabilities remains pending.

The Veteran's right ear hearing loss is granted, isolated systolic hypertension remains noncompensable, and the evaluation for right knee lateral instability is remanded.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss. The Veteran contends that his current hearing loss is related to noise exposure during service, but VA medical opinions have not addressed this contention adequately.

The Board has remanded the cases due to issues with the initial determinations and a need for further development, including obtaining medical records from VA partnership programs. The Veteran's PTSD case is remanded for a new examination to assess suicidal ideation and its impact on his social and occupational functioning. His hearing loss claim requires clarification of evidence meeting VA standards for hearing loss diagnosis. And his sinusitis case needs a new examination to determine if he has headaches related to the condition.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions and treatment records.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss is denied, and his claim for service connection for bladder condition remains denied. The Board has remanded the issue of service connection for peripheral neuropathy.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection and initial rating of his bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, vertigo (dizziness), and right foot disability due to inadequate opinions in previous VA examinations. The Veteran is required to undergo further examination to provide a nexus opinion regarding these conditions.

The Veteran's PTSD is granted service connection, and his bilateral hearing loss is denied a rating in excess of 30 percent after February 7, 2018.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are related to his in-service exposure to significant acoustic trauma while serving in combat in Vietnam.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a respiratory disorder, left ear hearing loss, and balance disability (otitis media) has been reopened. The Board found that the evidence is at least in equipoise as to whether he has a current diagnosis of PTSD, his in-service combat-related stressors are established from his lay reports as a combat veteran, and a private psychologist linked his PTSD to his in-service stressors. Service connection for PTSD was granted. However, service connection for left ear hearing loss is granted based on the Veteran's reported history of exposure to burn pits during service. The balance disability claim is denied due to lack of current diagnosis.

The Veteran's hearing loss disability was rated as noncompensable prior to July 16, 2019 and at a 30 percent rating thereafter.,A higher rating for the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is not warranted.

The Veteran's death was not service-connected, and the claim for burial benefits is denied as none of the criteria for payment of nonservice-connected burial benefits are met.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for irritable bowel syndrome is granted, while the claims for chronic fatigue syndrome, hearing loss, and back disability are remanded.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is currently rated as 30 percent disabling beginning November 2, 2019. The Board found that the evidence was in relative equipoise as to whether his symptoms warranted a rating of VII for his left ear and VI for his right ear.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was rated as zero percent prior to July 12, 2021. The Board found that the evidence did not show a worsening of his hearing loss at any time before this date and thus denied an increased rating.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal, and the Board dismissed both claims for service connection.

The Veteran's service-connected conditions do not preclude him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation, and thus his claim for TDIU is denied.