Hearing loss decisions — 2021

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus but has remanded the issue of service connection for bilateral hearing loss due to incomplete examination and opinion.

The Veteran's service-connected lumbar fibromyositis with IVDS is granted a 60 percent rating effective November 13, 2015. The remaining claims of entitlement to service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, benign paroxysmal positional vertigo, and cervical spine disability are remanded.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss, finding that it is more likely than not related to in-service noise exposure.

The Veteran's initial noncompensable rating for bilateral hearing loss is being remanded due to a duty to assist error. The February 2016 audiogram needs to be associated with the claims file.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for tinnitus and an initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss.,The evidence did not support a finding that the Veteran's tinnitus had onset in active service or was otherwise causally connected to his active service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss prior to October 30, 2020 and a rating in excess of 10 percent for bilateral hearing loss. The evidence did not meet the criteria for a higher rating under the applicable VA rating schedule.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection of right ear hearing loss was dismissed due to his death.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including diabetes and multiple types of peripheral neuropathy, have rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment as of December 20, 2016. The Board finds that the combined effect of his physical and psychiatric conditions has made it impossible for him to engage in any form of substantial gainful employment.

The Veteran's right ear hearing loss is currently rated as non-compensable. The Board finds that a new examination is needed to determine the current severity of his condition.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus has been denied as there is no evidence of current tinnitus or a diagnosis thereof.,Service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder (to include PTSD), erectile dysfunction, left knee condition, right hip condition, and hypertension have all been remanded due to incomplete development in the schizoaffective disorder claim.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating for any of the periods on appeal.

The Board denied a compensable evaluation for right ear hearing loss prior to February 14, 2020 and an evaluation in excess of 60 percent from that date.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been granted, with the exception of sinus disorder and lumbar spine disorder. Bilateral hearing loss disability, tinnitus, and bilateral foot disorder are now considered service-connected. The claim for sinus disorder is remanded due to insufficient evidence, and the claim for lumbar spine disorder is also remanded.

The Board has decided to remand the claims of service connection for right ear hearing loss and tinnitus due to insufficient opinions in previous VA examinations. A new examination is required.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to an error in converting the Veteran's separation audiogram from ASA units to ISO-ANSI units. The decision is pending further review and examination.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss is remanded due to the need for clarification regarding the use of the Maryland CNC test in his September 2018 private audiology examination.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the current disabilities are causally connected to in-service acoustic trauma. The decision is based on direct service connection as there was no requirement of a diagnosis during service.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to an inadequate VA examination that did not consider the Veteran's lay statements regarding the onset of his symptoms during service.

The rating reduction for the Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss from 20 percent to a noncompensable rating was not proper and the 20 percent rating is restored, effective August 1, 2016. The Board also found that remand is warranted due to the need for a current VA examination regarding the severity of the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss.

The Board has determined that the January 2018 VA examination is inadequate and remands the cases for further development, including a new VA medical opinion regarding the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus.