Hearing loss decisions — 2022

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD, was denied. The claims for service connection for a lung disorder (COPD), sleep apnea, right knee disorder, left knee disorder, and bilateral hearing loss are remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further development, including consideration of a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU). The Board finds that the issue of TDIU is part and parcel of a higher rating when raised by the record.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for various disabilities, including traumatic brain injury, peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, lung disability (COPD), hypertension, erectile dysfunction, back disability, hip disabilities, and foot disabilities. The cause of death is also under review.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for mycotic nails, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus due to incomplete records from his Reserve service. The AOJ is instructed to make additional efforts to obtain these records.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus is dismissed as the Veteran withdrew his claim before the Board made a decision.,Service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied because there is no evidence of hearing loss disability in service, within one year of separation from service, or related to service. The Veteran's current hearing loss is not considered to be at least likely related to service.,The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 30 percent for PTSD is denied as the evidence does not support finding that his PTSD more nearly approximates total occupational and social impairment.

The Veteran's initial compensable evaluation for bilateral hearing loss is being remanded due to the need for a new VA examination.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, but these issues are being remanded to the AOJ for further consideration as they were not addressed in the previous rating decisions.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and heart murmur have been denied. The Board has found that the weight of the evidence does not support a finding that these conditions are related to his military service. His current right foot deformity is remanded for further development.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a need for a new VA medical opinion regarding the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss, which may be related to service despite his claims of minimal post-service noise exposure.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim for right ear hearing loss due to service exposure, as there are conflicting opinions regarding delayed-onset hearing loss and the need for a new VA medical opinion.

The Veteran's claims for hearing loss, wrist and knee conditions, hip conditions, elbow conditions, sleep apnea, and shoulder impingement syndrome have been dismissed. The Veteran's service-connected left Achilles tendonitis has been granted a rating of 20 percent.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for bladder cancer was denied as the liberalizing regulations became effective on March 14, 2017.,The Veteran's claim for bilateral hearing loss is remanded and will be reconsidered.

The Board has remanded the claims for increased evaluations and service connection due to lack of recent VA treatment records, undelivered correspondence, and failure to report a scheduled hearing.

The Veteran's right ear hearing loss and tinnitus have been granted service connection. The left ear hearing loss has not met the criteria for service connection.,Service connection is granted for bilateral pes planus, but the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of chronic headache disability.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that his current hearing loss is more likely than not caused by noise exposure during his military service.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss as the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of this condition.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (vertigo) as secondary to his service-connected bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, and for a compensable disability rating prior to February 6, 2019 and in excess of 20 percent thereafter for bilateral hearing loss. The remand requires the provision of adequate VA opinions on whether the Veteran's vertigo is caused or aggravated by his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has granted service connection for right ear hearing loss, finding that the Veteran's current condition is due to his in-service exposure to hazardous noise. The decision resolves the benefit of doubt in favor of the Veteran.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss, lumbar spine disability, and brain disability due to discrepancies in audiometric testing results and incomplete medical records. The Veteran will need to provide additional information about his treatment history and undergo further examinations.

The Board has remanded the claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to service connection issues. The Veteran's current hearing loss disability is not shown as having been incurred during or within one year after her military service, nor is there evidence of continuity of symptomatology since service.