Hearing loss decisions — 2022

The Veteran's initial compensable ratings for bilateral hearing loss and cholesteatoma have been denied.,The Veteran's claim for TDIU has also been denied due to lack of cooperation in providing necessary information.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including coronary artery disease, PTSD, skin disability, tinnitus, and others, rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment from July 2, 2003 to July 25, 2007. The Board granted a TDIU on an extraschedular basis for this period.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate VA examination and need for a new opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient medical opinions and missing VA treatment records. The issues include an acquired psychiatric disability, hearing loss, and tinnitus.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is denied as there is no evidence of a current disability and the Board finds that it is not related to service.,The Veteran does not have a valid diagnosis of tinnitus, and therefore his claim for service connection for tinnitus is denied.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for sleep apnea, sensorineural hearing loss of the left ear, and TBI are being remanded due to new evidence received since the last final denial. The Veteran is also seeking a compensable rating for his service-connected sensorineural hearing loss of the left ear.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is service connected. The back disability issue was remanded due to inadequate medical opinion.

The Board has denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the evidence does not support a link to active duty service.

The appeal for service connection of a bilateral knee disability is dismissed. The appeals for service connection of lumbar spine, stroke residuals, COPD, heart disability, and bilateral hearing loss disabilities are remanded.

The Board denied a rating for bilateral hearing loss in excess of 20 percent on an extra-schedular basis prior to December 15, 2012. The Veteran's employment history showed he was gainfully employed during this period and did not present such an exceptional or unusual disability picture as to render the application of the regular rating schedule impractical.

The Board found that the Veteran does not have a current bilateral hearing loss disability for VA purposes, and thus denied his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for alcohol abuse, bilateral knee condition, low back pain, and bilateral hearing loss have all been denied as there is no evidence of a current disability or a relationship to military service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is related to his active military service, including noise exposure. As a result, the claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is granted.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD and diabetes mellitus type II, have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation. The Board has remanded the case for clarification of his employment history during the appeal period and for an opinion on the functional impairment caused by these conditions.

The Board has remanded the claims for hearing loss, diabetes mellitus, peripheral neuropathy, coronary artery disease (CAD), cataracts, colon cancer, left foot pain, and PTSD due to potential service connection issues.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is due to noise exposure during his military service and grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development due to inadequate opinions in the VA examinations. Specifically, a new examination is needed for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, as well as PTSD.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that the current disability is not related to active service.,Service connection for a low back disorder was remanded due to insufficient evidence regarding whether it is secondary to the service-connected pes planus.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for a higher rating for his left ear hearing loss, finding that the evidence did not support an increased rating from January 21, 2022 or any compensable rating prior to that date.

The Board has reopened the claim for eligibility for VA benefits due to new and material evidence. However, the character of discharge from service for the period from March 1, 1970 to May 20, 1976 is still under review as it may constitute a bar to VA benefits.