Hearing loss decisions — 2022

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is etiologically related to acoustic trauma sustained during his active service, and therefore grants entitlement to service connection for this condition.

The claim for service connection for a right elbow disorder has been reopened and granted.,Issues related to left knee, right knee, gout, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and TDIU are remanded.

The Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are granted. The Board found that the medical evidence supports a relationship between these conditions and noise exposure during his military service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss is due to noise exposure during service and finds in favor of granting service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's claim to reopen his previously denied claim of entitlement to service connection for a left knee disability is granted. Service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are granted, but service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder (including unspecified depressive disorder and PTSD) is denied.

The Veteran's attorney has withdrawn the appeals for service connection and increased ratings on multiple disabilities, including right knee disability, flat wart hand, right ankle disability, left ankle disability, bilateral sensorineural hearing loss, right shoulder impingement syndrome, left shoulder strain with rotator cuff tendonitis, and TDIU.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss has been rated as noncompensable since April 1995. The most recent VA examination in January 2022 showed Level II hearing loss in the right ear and Level I in the left ear, which corresponds to a noncompensable rating.

The Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus have been reopened, and both conditions are now granted. The claim for a left foot disability is denied.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability was evaluated and found to be noncompensable, as the puretone thresholds and speech discrimination scores did not meet the criteria for a compensable rating.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss has been denied as his current level of hearing acuity does not warrant a compensable rating.,Service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, claimed as stress, is remanded due to the submission of new evidence indicating a possible causal relationship to service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that there was no evidence showing a diagnosis or signs and symptoms of hearing loss in service or within one year thereafter. The Veteran's exposure to military noise during his service is conceded, but the VA audiologist concluded that the current hearing loss is less likely than not related to his service.

The Board denied the reopening of claims for service connection due to lack of new and material evidence, as the appellant's Texas National Guard service was not qualifying service.

The Veteran's claims for revision of the April 2016 rating decision denying service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus based on clear and unmistakable error are denied. The Board found no clear mistake of law or fact that would have changed the outcome.

The Veteran's hearing loss was evaluated as Level II in both ears, resulting in a noncompensable disability rating. The Board found no evidence of severe hearing loss warranting a higher evaluation.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a lumbar spine condition was denied, but the Board found new and material evidence to reopen the claim. Service connection is granted.,Service connection is granted for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus.

The Board denied increased ratings for chronic cystitis, traumatic arthritis of the cervical spine, and bilateral hearing loss since November 18, 2019. Service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder was also denied.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for a lumbar spine disorder and bilateral hearing loss due to potential issues with the examination reports and medical opinions provided.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability should be re-evaluated and a new rating assigned, as his condition has worsened since his last VA examination.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss disability and tinnitus due to inadequate reasoning in the March 2014 rating decision. The case is being returned for a new VA examination with an adequate opinion.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus have been granted. The Board found that the evidence established a link between the disabilities and his military service, resolving all doubts in favor of the Veteran.