Hearing loss decisions — 2022

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that there is not sufficient evidence to establish a link between these conditions and his military service.

The Board has granted service connection for multiple myeloma due to exposure to Camp Lejeune contaminated water, but the claims of service connection for lymphedema secondary to multiple myeloma, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus are remanded for further development.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is currently rated as noncompensable, with a numeric designation of Level I in both ears.,Service connection for vertigo secondary to the service-connected bilateral hearing loss is remanded.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss. The issues of entitlement to service connection for sleep apnea, eczema, cervical disability, back disability, PFB, and psychiatric disability associated with PFB are remanded.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings for bilateral hearing loss and TDIU are remanded due to the need for additional development, including a VA examination.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus but remanded the claim for bilateral hearing loss due to insufficient evidence in the record.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability and denied service connection for a lumbar spine disability. The skin condition claim is remanded for further development.

The Veteran's petition to reopen the claim for service connection for sleepless nights was granted. The petitions to reopen claims for other conditions were dismissed.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's claims, including right ear hearing loss, hip pain, back pain, foot pain, ankle pain, and knee pain. The remand requires obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling examinations for left ankle and bilateral knee conditions.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for left ear hearing loss and tinnitus due to new evidence received, as well as for an increased rating in excess of 10 percent for bilateral lower extremity scars. The Veteran's representative withdrew his claim for a higher rating for scars.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and examination due to missing service treatment records. The Veteran's claims of diabetes mellitus, hearing loss, and tinnitus are not currently decided.

The Veteran's hearing loss and tinnitus disability ratings are remanded for additional development, including a new VA examination to assess the current severity of his conditions. The TDIU claim is also remanded due to its inextricability with the other issues.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right ear hearing loss is related to his military service and grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and PTSD, as well as a TDIU based on service-connected disabilities, were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a finding of in-service noise exposure leading to current hearing loss or PTSD, and thus could not establish service connection.

The Board has remanded the claim of service connection for bilateral hearing loss due to a lack of communication with the Veteran regarding scheduling an examination. The Veteran served in active duty from August 1964 to December 1967 and provided competent lay statements about noise exposure during service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for left ear hearing loss, back condition, and neck condition due to insufficient evidence regarding their onset during service. The VA will obtain all available STRs, conduct audiometric testing, and provide a medical opinion on whether these conditions are related to service.

The Board has remanded the case due to a misapplication of legal standards in the previous decision, and a new VA examination is needed to assess the current nature and severity of the Veteran's hearing loss.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss disability is evaluated as noncompensable (0 percent) throughout the rating period. The Board found that the audiometric test results did not meet the criteria for a compensable rating.

The Board has remanded the claims for bilateral hearing loss and skin disability due to inadequate medical opinions and the need for updated VA treatment records.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and its relation to his military service. The Veteran claims he was exposed to noise during service, but there is no in-service record of hearing loss. The Court found that a VA examiner should consider both positive and negative findings from an IOM study on delayed-onset hearing loss.