Hearing loss decisions — 2022

The Board has decided to remand the case due to unclear audiometric data conversion and need for clarification on when the Veteran's hearing loss began.

The Board has remanded the cases for additional development to obtain missing records and ensure all relevant VA treatment records are associated with the claims file.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to incomplete VA treatment records and unverified in-service stressors. The Veteran must undergo further examinations for his hearing loss, spine disability, heart condition, and psychiatric disabilities.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for right ear hearing loss, finding that he does not have a current disability for VA compensation purposes.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for gout, hearing loss, and OSA have been remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions regarding their etiology.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection and rating of his left shoulder injury, left wrist carpal tunnel syndrome, thoracic spine, and left ear hearing loss. The VA is instructed to verify the Veteran's Reserve service dates, obtain Tricare records, schedule VA examinations for his thoracic spine and left wrist disabilities, provide an addendum opinion on his left shoulder disability, and schedule a right ear hearing loss examination.

The Veteran's tinnitus is granted service connection as it was presumed to have been incurred in service. Service connection for bilateral hearing loss, a bilateral knee disorder, and a left eye disorder are denied.

The Board has granted a 10 percent rating for bilateral hearing loss from March 18, 2021, and denied the claim prior to that date.

The Board has granted TDIU and remanded the issue of increased rating for bilateral hearing loss. The Veteran's service-connected disabilities are preventing him from securing or following substantially gainful employment.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to an inadequate May 2013 VA examination and a need for new evidence, including a new VA medical opinion.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims due to procedural issues and insufficient evidence, including for service connection of bilateral foot disabilities, left ankle disability, right ankle disability, compensable rating for hearing loss, and increased PTSD rating.

The Board has granted service connection for left ear hearing loss, finding that the Veteran's preexisting condition was aggravated by military service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not preclude him from obtaining and maintaining substantially gainful employment consistent with his level of education, prior work history, and training. The Board finds that the persuasive evidence does not establish that the Veteran's right knee disabilities prohibit him from obtaining or maintaining substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's hypertension is granted as service-connected on a presumptive basis due to herbicide exposure. The claims for left ear hearing loss, tinnitus, and peripheral edema are remanded.

The Board has remanded the claims for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, carpal tunnel syndrome of the right upper extremity, migraines, vertigo or other balance disorder, and hypertension due to issues with evidence development and examination requirements.

The Veteran's PTSD, right ear hearing loss, and eczema of the left middle finger are all granted service connection. The Board found that these conditions were related to his military service.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for a back disability and denied it. The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss was also denied.

The Board has remanded the case due to a need for new evidence and examination regarding the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and acquired psychiatric disability (including PTSD).

The Veteran's cause of death was listed as hypertension, but the appellant contends that his true cause of death was head trauma from repeated falls. The VA medical opinions found no nexus between the Veteran's service-connected disabilities and his death.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's left knee disability and denied a compensable rating for his bilateral hearing loss. The decision is based on the evidence showing that the Veteran currently suffers from left knee pain that had its onset during service, and also provided competent lay evidence of continuity of left knee pain since service.