Hearing loss decisions — 2021

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss, left knee disability, and right knee disability due to inadequate rationale in previous VA opinions. The claims are being returned for further development.

The Veteran's right ear hearing loss and tinnitus are granted as service-connected. The case for left ear hearing loss is remanded.

The Veteran's claim for bilateral hearing loss has been granted, and he is now service-connected.,The Veteran's claim for a skin disability (claimed as carcinoma) due to radiation exposure remains pending and requires additional development.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was initially denied for a compensable rating prior to June 11, 2018. From June 11, 2018, the Veteran is now granted a 30 percent rating.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, a bilateral foot disability, COPD, residuals of a broken nose, and residuals of partially missing left thumb due to lack of available service treatment records. The Veteran was exposed to noise during service but did not seek medical attention.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for more current findings on the Veteran's otitis media with bilateral hearing loss disability and clarification of speech discrimination testing at private audiometric consultations.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including major depressive disorder, left total knee replacement, tinnitus, and bilateral hearing loss, prevent him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for tinnitus and right ear hearing loss due to inadequate examination reports and failure to consider the Veteran's lay statements.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied as there is no current diagnosis of a bilateral hearing loss disability.

The Veteran's anxiety and major depressive disorder have been granted with a 70% evaluation, effective from March 1, 2019. His bilateral hearing loss has not met the criteria for an initial compensable rating.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including ischemic heart disease, render him unemployable. The Board finds that the criteria for TDIU have been met and grants the claim.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and TDIU are being remanded due to the need for further development, including obtaining thorough and adequate examinations and outstanding treatment records.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate reasons and bases in previous decisions, including not discussing favorable evidence such as a March 2009 Dr. N.O. assessment.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional medical examination and evaluation of the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss with tinnitus, including any residuals such as Meniere's disease causing dizziness.

The Veteran's bilateral tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss are granted as service connected, with the Board finding that these conditions began during his active military service.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and mental disorder as the Veteran did not meet the criteria for a current disability, and there was no evidence of in-service incurrence or continuity of symptoms.

The Veteran's service-connected left ear hearing loss is being remanded for clarification of the speech recognition test used and for a new examination to determine its current severity.

The Board has remanded the claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) due to insufficient evidence in the current record, particularly regarding the impact of tinnitus and hearing aids on employment.

The Board has decided to remand the claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error.

The Board has remanded the case due to a failure to obtain VA treatment records from May 2019 to August 2019, including an audiogram.