Hearing loss decisions — 2022

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss. The Veteran's appeal regarding a rating in excess of 10 percent for CAD is remanded due to conflicting medical evidence and the need for additional examination.

The Veteran's TDIU rating is granted as of March 17, 2020, based on his service-connected disabilities preventing him from securing and following substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's left knee disability, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus have been rated at 20 percent for TDIU. The left knee disability is rated higher than the 10 percent currently assigned.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and bilateral tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's conditions did not originate in or were not otherwise etiologically related to his military service.

The Board has remanded the claims for ischemic heart disease and bilateral hearing loss due to new evidence showing worsening symptoms, and for a TDIU claim. The Veteran is required to submit lay statements from himself and others regarding his service-connected disabilities' impact on employment.

Service connection is granted for diabetes mellitus, type 2, diabetic peripheral neuropathy of the right and left lower extremities, erectile dysfunction secondary to diabetes, tinnitus, and left ear hearing loss due to Agent Orange exposure.,Service connection is denied for right ear hearing loss.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and a skin disability should be remanded due to insufficient evidence. The right ear hearing loss needs to be reevaluated, and a VA examination is needed to determine if any current skin disability arose during service or is related to herbicide exposure.

The Board has remanded the claims for bilateral hearing loss and a respiratory disability due to additional evidentiary development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling new VA examinations.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability and tinnitus due to audio malfunctions during a previous hearing. The VA examiner will need to provide an opinion on whether it is as likely as not that the Veteran's current hearing loss and tinnitus are related to in-service noise exposure.

The Board has dismissed the appeal due to the appellant's withdrawal of his service connection claims for various conditions.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus, heart disability, kidney disability, peripheral neuropathy, hypertension, hyperlipoproteinemia, prostate disability, sinus disability, scotoma, and respiratory disorder are all remanded for further development.,Service connection is being remanded for the Veteran's heart disability, kidney disability, peripheral neuropathy of the upper extremities, peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities, hypertension, hyperlipoproteinemia, prostate disability (benign prostatic hypertrophy), sinus disability (allergic rhinitis), scotoma, and respiratory disorder.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, but the case is remanded for a new examination to determine if the Veteran has a current hearing loss disability for VA purposes.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss has been evaluated as 10 percent disabling, based on the results of his most recent VA examination. The Board found that a higher rating is not warranted.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for a 10% rating for bilateral hearing loss is denied.,The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for TDIU is denied.,The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for bilateral hearing loss prior to June 14, 2019, and higher than 20% thereafter is denied.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is currently rated at 40 percent, and the Board has determined that it does not warrant a higher rating.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss, coronary artery disease with graft bypass, squamous cell carcinoma, and prostate cancer due to incomplete records and potential exposure to herbicide agents.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for increased disability ratings for right knee strain, hypertension prior to January 7, 2020, hypertension from January 7, 2020, allergic rhinitis, and bilateral hearing loss.,The Veteran also withdrew his appeals for the same issues.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for allergic rhinitis is granted due to exposure in Southwest Asia. Service connection for left ear hearing loss, hypertension, and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) are denied as there is no evidence of a current disability or relationship to service. The Veteran's claim for service connection for a right knee disability is remanded for further examination.

The Veteran's appeal for increased ratings and special monthly compensation based on the need for regular aid and attendance was denied. The claim of entitlement to a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss is denied, as his hearing acuity did not meet the criteria for a higher rating under VA regulations. For the lumbar spine disability prior to September 6, 2019, the Veteran's disability has been rated at 10 percent and no higher due to lack of evidence showing limitation in range of motion or functional loss equivalent to ankylosis.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection on multiple conditions has been dismissed. A 100% disability rating for PTSD is granted effective February 1, 2022.