Hearing loss decisions — 2022

The Veteran's tinnitus is currently rated at 10 percent and no higher. The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for right ear hearing loss and an initial compensable disability rating for left ear hearing loss due to lack of current evidence.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss was denied in an October 2008 rating decision. The Board has now remanded the case due to new and material evidence submitted by the Veteran.

The Board has determined that more development is necessary for the Veteran's claims, including a new VA examination to assess his service-connected basal carcinoma of the left ear status post excision and opinions regarding his claimed keratoacanthoma of the nose, cholesteatoma, perforated tympanic membrane of the left ear, and bilateral hearing loss disabilities. The claims are being remanded for these purposes.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus but remanded the issue of service connection for bilateral hearing loss due to insufficient evidence.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are granted as service connected. The kidney disability, diabetes mellitus, and high blood pressure are remanded for further development.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection on the merits of his bilateral hearing loss, left ankle disability, and back disability is remanded due to a previous denial in April 2013. The issues are being returned to the RO for further development.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, cervical neck disability, left shoulder disability, lumbar disability, right lower extremity disability, and left lower extremity disability due to incomplete examinations and lack of military personnel records. Additional evidence is needed before a determination can be made.

The Board has granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea and remanded the issue of a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is currently rated at 10 percent, effective March 17, 2022. The appeal for a higher rating remains pending.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a procedural error in how the Veteran's initial notice of disagreement was handled. The issue of service connection for bilateral hearing loss is now being considered again.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for bilateral flat feet and plantar fasciitis, right or left ear disorder (to include hearing loss and hyperacusis), right ankle disability, left ankle disability, left carpal tunnel syndrome, right carpal tunnel syndrome, right shoulder disability, left knee disability, right knee disability, and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) due to inadequate medical opinions regarding the etiology of these conditions. The Veteran's claims are being remanded for further examination and opinion.

The Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss and headaches were denied, but the claim for dizziness was reopened. The PTSD claim was also reopened.,The Veteran's left ring finger disability rating was restored to 10 percent effective November 1, 2018. Service connection for Meniere's syndrome and benign paroxysmal positional vertigo is granted as secondary to service-connected tinnitus.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including right thumb disability and left ear hearing loss, are of such character as to clearly interfere with normal employability. The Veteran is granted a 10 percent rating for multiple noncompensable service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran was granted a TDIU on an extra-schedular basis from January 8, 2016 to April 26, 2016 due to his service-connected disabilities.,The Veteran was also granted a schedular TDIU from April 27, 2016 to February 15, 2022.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability was initially rated at 0 percent prior to October 4, 2021. From October 4, 2021 to April 21, 2022, a higher 20 percent rating is granted. Since then, the highest possible rating of 20 percent has been maintained.

The appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including review of new evidence submitted by the Veteran's attorney. The AOJ will be asked to issue a supplemental statement of the case (SSOC).

The Board has granted service connection for asthma, tinnitus, and bilateral hearing loss. The Veteran's asthma is linked to his in-service exposure to a chemical agent, tinnitus is attributed to noise exposure during service, and his hearing loss is presumed to have worsened due to military noise exposure.

The Veteran's service connection claims for left ear hearing loss and a psychiatric condition, to include PTSD, are being remanded due to the need for additional medical records and examinations.

The Veteran's IBS is rated at 30 percent, the maximum available rating under VA guidelines.,Service connection for CFS (now claimed as fatigue) has been granted. The claim was denied previously due to failure to appeal.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was rated at 10 percent from July 26, 2021. The Board denied the claims for higher ratings prior to that date.