Hearing loss decisions — 2021

The Veteran's request to reopen the service connection claims for neck disorder, left knee disorder, and right knee disorder is granted. The claim for hearing loss of the left ear remains denied.

The Board has already decided the case in the AMA system and no longer has jurisdiction over the legacy appeals system, so the claim for bilateral hearing loss is dismissed.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss due to a lack of current hearing loss disability in either ear.,The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim for service connection for left shoulder disorder, diagnosed as degenerative arthritis, to include as secondary to lumbar strain disability. The case is being returned for further development and consideration.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, so the case is dismissed.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left ear hearing loss is related to in-service noise exposure and grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's service connection claim for bilateral hearing loss was denied because there is no evidence of a current disability, and the Board found that his hearing did not meet the criteria for a disability under 38 C.F.R. § 3.385.

The Board has granted service connection for left ear hearing loss and tinnitus. Service connection is remanded for the Veteran's left ankle disability, right ear hearing loss, and Diabetes Mellitus type II.

The Veteran's left ear hearing loss disability was granted service connection. The right ear hearing loss, upper back, lower back, acid reflux (GERD), respiratory disability, and hemorrhoids were denied service connection. Service connection for the disabilities of the upper and lower extremities was also denied.

The Board has decided to remand the claims for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and thyroid cancer due to incomplete personnel records from the Veteran's service in the Army National Guard.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that there was no evidence of a diagnosis within one year of separation from active service and no causal relationship between current hearing loss and military noise exposure.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss and bilateral vision loss due to insufficient medical opinions regarding their etiology. The Veteran is seeking service connection for these conditions, which are claimed to be related to in-service noise exposure and fuel exposure, respectively.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD, bilateral tinnitus, and noncompensable left ear hearing loss rendered him unable to secure and follow substantially gainful employment prior to June 10, 2013. The Board granted a TDIU rating based on the severity of his psychiatric disability throughout the appeal period.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and consideration, including obtaining documents related to the Veteran's conviction for fraud against VA and scheduling a new VA examination for his bilateral hearing loss.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right ear hearing loss had its onset during active service and is granted. However, the left ear hearing loss did not have its onset during service or within one year of separation, so it is denied.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability is denied, and his coronary artery disease is granted a 30% rating. The issues of increased ratings for the heart disability and TDIU are remanded.

The Veteran's appeal for a higher rating of his service-connected bilateral hearing loss disability and PTSD has been remanded due to the submission of new evidence. The TDIU claim is also being remanded as it is inextricably intertwined with the PTSD increased rating claim.

The Veteran's left ear hearing loss and PTSD with secondary major depressive disorder are granted. The case is remanded for further action on the rating and TDIU issues.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was not incurred in service and is not otherwise related to his military service. The Board found that the Veteran did not have a current disability for which he could be granted service connection.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was rated at 10 percent effective February 12, 2021. The rating is based on the May 2021 VA examination results.

The Board has granted effective dates of July 28, 2017 for the grant of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus. The decision is based on the Veteran's intent to file a claim submitted on that date.