Hearing loss decisions — 2022

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's service connection claims, including gastrointestinal symptoms, bilateral hearing loss, chronic fatigue syndrome, irritable bowel syndrome, alopecia, headaches, and sciatica. The cases are being remanded for additional examinations and opinions.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for erectile dysfunction was denied as the evidence did not show actual external or internal deformity of the penis.,Service connection for tinnitus was granted based on continuity of symptoms since service, but the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was denied due to lack of in-service onset and no established link to noise exposure.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's claims of service connection for tinnitus and hearing loss as they have already been granted in a previous decision.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that there is no evidence to support a causal relationship between these conditions and his military service.

The Veteran's petition to reopen the claim of entitlement to service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied.,The Veteran's petition to reopen the claim of entitlement to service connection for tinnitus is granted. The petition to reopen the claim of entitlement to service connection for hypertension is also granted.

The Veteran's back disability was reduced from a 40 percent rating to a 10 percent rating, which the Board found improper and restored the original 40 percent rating.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current disabilities are related to his in-service noise exposure. The decision is based on the continuity of symptoms since service.

The Veteran's appeals for higher evaluations and earlier effective dates have been dismissed due to withdrawal. The Board has also determined that the claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss, degenerative disc disease (L4/5 and L5/S1) with lumbar spondylosis and spondylolisthesis, left lower extremity radiculopathy affecting the sciatic nerve, right lower extremity radiculopathy affecting the sciatic nerve are REMANDED for further development.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate nexus opinion regarding the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss, which may be related to service exposure. A new VA examination is needed.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities (including PTSD, asthma, DJD of the lumbar spine, tinnitus, radiculopathy of the left and right lower extremities, bilateral hearing loss, and migraines) render him unable to secure or maintain substantially gainful employment. The Board granted a TDIU based on this finding.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus but has remanded the issue of service connection for bilateral hearing loss due to a lack of medical evidence and an inadequate VA examination.

The Board has remanded the claims for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and left hip condition due to failure of the Veteran to attend scheduled VA examinations.

The Board has decided to remand the claims for service connection for a lumbar spine disorder, bilateral hearing loss disability, and bilateral foot disorder due to insufficient evidence. The Veteran's statements regarding his symptoms during service will be considered in determining the etiology of these conditions.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, require the regular aid and attendance of another person due to their severity. The Board finds that SMC based on aid and attendance is granted.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities prevented him from obtaining and maintaining substantially gainful employment, leading to a TDIU from September 4, 2014. The claim for an extraschedular TDIU prior to that date is remanded.

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

The Veteran's TDIU and special monthly compensation based on housebound status are granted from September 22, 2017 to February 28, 2018. Prior to this date, the criteria for these benefits were not met.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been granted. The Board found new and material evidence to reopen the claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss, PTSD, and other specific trauma and stressor related disorder. Service connection is now established for these conditions.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a conflict regarding whether the Veteran was given adequate notice for a VA examination. The Veteran is required to report for any scheduled examination and failure to do so may result in denial of the claim.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, tinnitus, hearing loss, and mild neurocognitive disorder, do not render him unemployable as he was laid off due to a reduction in force rather than his service-connected conditions. The Board denied the claim for TDIU.