Hearing loss decisions — 2022

The Veteran's appeal for service connection on all issues related to acquired psychiatric disorder, bilateral hearing loss, high blood pressure, kidney failure, and diabetes is being remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations and records.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are at least as likely as not related to in-service noise exposure, granting service connection for these conditions.

The Board has remanded the case to the AOJ for submission of the TDIU claim to the Director of Compensation Service on an extraschedular basis due to exceptional aspects associated with the Veteran's service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's claim for bilateral hearing loss is denied as there is no evidence of a diagnosed disability.,The Veteran's claim for left knee disorder is denied as there is no currently diagnosed condition.,A low back disorder has been reopened, but the claim remains denied as there is no current diagnosis.

The Veteran's right ear hearing loss claim was previously denied and not reopened. The psychiatric disability claim, including schizophrenia, was reopened due to new evidence but the original service connection denial remains.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were denied because there was no medical evidence linking the conditions to service. The Board found that new and material evidence had not been received.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete records, specifically a missing audiogram from June 2019. The Veteran's claim for initial staged ratings of bilateral hearing loss is now pending and will be re-adjudicated after obtaining additional VA treatment records.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss likely began during his military service and granted service connection for this condition.

The Veteran withdrew their appeal regarding the issues of increased ratings for right shoulder bursitis and right knee chondromalacia, as well as service connection for vertigo and bilateral hearing loss.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including Parkinson's disease and its complications, have rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment for which his education and occupational experience would otherwise qualify.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is at least as likely as not related to his military noise exposure, and therefore grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. Service connection was not granted for left ear hearing loss, and the Veteran's back disability, right knee disability, left knee disability, and mesangiopathic glomerulopathy were all found to have insufficient evidence of a current disability or inadequate criteria for rating.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a stomach disorder, hypertension, bilateral hearing loss, left arm tremor, and left eye disorder as new and material evidence was not received to reopen these previously denied claims.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not meet the criteria for TDIU from July 9, 2009, and prior to September 1, 2010. However, he met the requirements for TDIU from September 1, 2010, and prior to April 1, 2011.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and consideration due to new evidence received since the October 2016 SOC.

The Board has denied service connection for right ear hearing loss, finding that the Veteran does not have a current disability as defined by VA regulations. Service connection was granted for left ear hearing loss due to noise exposure in service.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus but has remanded the issue of service connection for bilateral hearing loss due to inadequate medical opinions.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient compliance with previous remand instructions regarding the Veteran's in-service noise exposure and its relation to his current hearing loss.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's symptoms are related to his in-service noise exposure.

The Veteran's appeal for an increased rating for left ear hearing loss has been dismissed as the Veteran withdrew the appeal before a decision was made.