Hearing loss decisions — 2022

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability has been rated at 20 percent since November 25, 2019. The Board found that a higher rating is not warranted as the audiometric results do not meet the criteria for a higher rating.

The Veteran's service connection claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus have been granted due to the establishment of a causal relationship between his current conditions and military noise exposure.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claim for left ear hearing loss due to inadequate VA medical opinions and incomplete records. The case will be returned for further development.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and right knee disability due to insufficient evidence regarding the nature of his service-connected conditions and exposure. The Veteran is required to provide an addendum VA opinion addressing qualifying and contradictory aspects of a 2006 IOM report on noise-induced hearing loss and tinnitus, as well as updated VA treatment records for his right knee.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a thyroid disability was denied due to lack of new and material evidence.,Service connection for bilateral hearing loss is granted, but the Veteran does not meet the criteria for an initial rating in excess of 20 percent.,Service connection for gout is denied as there is no evidence it began during active service or is related to a service-connected condition.,Service connection for a back disability is denied due to lack of evidence that it began during active service or is related to a service-connected condition.,Service connection for a prostate disability is denied as there is no evidence it began during active service or is related to a service-connected condition.,Service connection for a kidney disability is denied as there is no evidence it began during active service or is related to a service-connected condition.,Service connection for a left ankle disability is denied due to lack of evidence that it began during active service or is related to a service-connected condition.,Service connection for a right knee disability is denied due to lack of evidence that it began during active service or is related to a service-connected condition.,Service connection for headaches and obstructive sleep apnea are granted as they are caused by the Veteran's service-connected PTSD.,Effective dates prior to July 9, 2015, for bilateral hearing loss and left knee osteoarthritis are denied.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, sinusitis, back disability, left knee disability, right knee disability, left ankle disability, and right ankle disability due to outstanding VA treatment records that may include relevant evidence.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection of bilateral hearing loss disability as there is no current diagnosis of a hearing loss disability for VA purposes.

The Veteran's hearing loss disability has been rated as 0 percent (noncompensable) throughout the appeal period, with Level I acuity in both ears. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating.

The Board has remanded the case for further development to determine if the Veteran's pre-existing bilateral hearing loss was aggravated during service and whether it had its onset or is related to any in-service disease, event, or injury.

The Veteran's claims for PTSD, left ear hearing loss, and orchialgia are remanded due to worsening symptoms. The TDIU claim is also remanded as it is inextricably intertwined with the other issues.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for bilateral sensorineural hearing loss prior to January 24, 2017, and a rating in excess of 20 percent thereafter was denied. The Board found that the evidence did not show that the Veteran met the criteria for a higher rating prior to January 24, 2017.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for back disability, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus due to inadequate opinions in the VA examinations. The Veteran is required to provide releases for private treatment records related to his back condition, and a supplemental opinion must be obtained from an appropriate VA examiner regarding the etiology of his back disability, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus.

The Veteran's appeals regarding various conditions and ratings have been withdrawn by the Veteran's representative.,No new evidence has been received to reopen a claim for bilateral hearing loss.

The Board has determined that further development is necessary before the Veteran's claims can be adjudicated. The AOJ should obtain copies of VA treatment records for the Veteran's disabilities from October 2019 to the present, verify all active duty for training and inactive duty training dates for alleged service, and obtain his complete service treatment records. A VA examination must also be scheduled for the Veteran regarding his left shoulder disability, migraine headaches, and cervical spine disability.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for genu varum and remanded the issue of service connection for bilateral hearing loss.

The Board has remanded the claim for benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) to include as secondary to bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, eustachian tube dysfunction (ETD), and chronic nonsuppurative otitis media due to a Joint Motion for Partial Remand (JMPR). The JMPR requires a new VA examination and medical opinion regarding the relationship of BPPV to service-connected conditions.

The Board denied service connection for right ear hearing loss, left ear hearing loss, and tinnitus as the appellant did not meet the regulatory threshold for these conditions at any time during the pendency of his claim.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to insufficient VA treatment records. The Veteran's representative withdrew from the case, and she is now representing herself.

The Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus have been denied as there is no evidence of in-service injury or disease that could be linked to the current disabilities.,For ischemic heart disease, the claim has been remanded due to insufficient medical examination.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for hearing loss was denied because there was not a hearing loss disability under the criteria. The appeal is denied.,Service connection for lung disorder, manifested by COPD, post surgical residual, pneumonectomy, lipoma removal, is granted due to exposure to jet fuel and insulating material in service.