Hearing loss decisions — 2022

The Veteran's increased rating claim for bilateral hearing loss as well as his TDIU claim have been remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions regarding the nature and etiology of his hearing loss prior to January 3, 2022.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is currently rated at 60 percent, and the Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted. The claim for TDIU was also denied as the evidence does not show that the Veteran is unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and whether it manifested within one year after separation from service.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding whether the Veteran's pre-existing right ear hearing loss was aggravated by service.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The hernia disability, abdominal scar, fibromyalgia, acquired psychiatric disability (pending), left shoulder disability (pending), right shoulder disability (pending), left arm disability (pending), right arm disability (pending), left elbow disability (pending), right elbow disability (pending), disability of the small finger, left hand (pending), cervical spine disability (pending), left ankle disability (pending), right ankle disability (pending), left foot skin disability (pending), and right foot skin disability (pending) were not granted. The Veteran's claims for service connection for sinus disability (pending), bilateral eye disability (pending), disability of the left eye cornea (pending), bilateral hearing loss disability (pending), tinnitus (pending), vertigo (pending), headaches (pending), and sleep apnea (pending) are pending.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals on all issues related to hearing loss, PTSD, and right hip disability. The appeal is dismissed.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for TBI, hearing loss, tinnitus, a lung condition due to asbestos exposure, and non-prostrating posttraumatic headaches. The cases are being remanded because the examinations conducted were not by specialists in psychiatry, neurology, or neurosurgery as required by VA policy for TBI claims.

The Veteran's service-connected left ear hearing loss is currently rated as zero percent (non-compensable) due to audiometric testing results which, when combined with the non-service-connected right ear, merit a Roman numeral of I.,The Veteran's service-connected hypertension is currently rated as ten percent (10%) due to diastolic pressure predominantly 100 or more requiring continuous medication for control.

The Board has denied the claim for an initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss and has remanded the claims of service connection for vitiligo and arthritis of the hands and wrist. The Veteran will need to undergo additional examinations to determine if these conditions are related to his military service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for PTSD, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus due to insufficient medical opinions and missing records. The Veteran must undergo further examinations and provide additional evidence.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable disability rating prior to February 15, 2022, and to a disability rating greater than 10 percent thereafter, for bilateral hearing loss is denied. The Board finds that the criteria for these ratings have not been met.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to incomplete audiometric results from July 2016, and additional evidence is needed before a final decision can be made on the initial compensable rating for service-connected bilateral hearing loss.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection and increased ratings have been withdrawn. The Board has also remanded several issues related to his right ankle, cervical spine, left hip, left knee, and bilateral foot disabilities.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is granted as service connected, with no specific rating assigned and effective date not determined.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the conditions are as likely as not related to active duty service. The character of discharge due to misconduct does not bar VA benefits.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, eye disability, and lumbar spine disability have been denied.,The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for chronic sinusitis has been denied.,The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for chronic bilateral shin splints (medial tibial stress syndrome) has been denied.,The Veteran's claims for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, heart disability, and acquired psychiatric disabilities have been remanded.,The Veteran's claim for total disability based on individual unemployability (TDIU) has been remanded.

The Board has granted service connection for left ear hearing loss but denied service connection for right ear hearing loss.

The Veteran's appeal for a compensable rating for service-connected bilateral hearing loss has been dismissed due to the appellant's request to withdraw the appeal.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to the need for a retrospective medical opinion and to determine if an extraschedular evaluation is warranted.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability, finding that his current hearing loss did not meet VA criteria and was not related to in-service noise exposure.