Hearing loss decisions — 2022

The Veteran requested to withdraw his appeal challenging the severance of service connection for bilateral hearing loss.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss has been granted. Initial ratings of 10 percent have been assigned for left lower extremity radiculopathy (sciatic nerve) and left lower extremity radiculopathy (femoral nerve). The initial rating for degenerative arthritis of the spine remains at 40 percent.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including ischemic heart disease, bilateral upper and lower extremity neuropathy, diabetes mellitus type II, and hearing loss, have rendered him unable to engage in substantially gainful employment. The Board finds that the evidence is at least in equipoise as to whether his service-connected conditions preclude him from working.

The Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss is related to in-service noise exposure, and the Board has granted service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further development to address the etiology of his BPH and urinary/bladder conditions, as well as adjudicate his TDIU claim.

The Veteran's initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss is being remanded due to the failure to schedule a VA examination.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that it is related to his in-service noise exposure.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, specifically to obtain audiogram results from June 2017 and March 2022. The Veteran's claim for an increased rating of his service-connected bilateral hearing loss is also being remanded.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for right ear hearing loss and left ear hearing loss due to incomplete VA treatment records, including audiometric results from January 15, 2019 and February 19, 2020. The Veteran will need to provide updated VA treatment records and a new VA auditory examination is required.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate rationale in previous VA examinations regarding whether the Veteran's right ear hearing loss is related to his service-connected left ear hearing loss and tinnitus.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was rated at 10 percent from March 2, 2015, and the Board found that a higher rating is not warranted prior to June 30, 2022, or after that date.

Service connection for ischemic heart disease is granted under the PACT Act. Service connection for tinnitus is granted.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened, but the Board has determined that additional development is needed before these claims can be decided.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss, specifically related to noise exposure during service.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus but has remanded the issue of service connection for bilateral hearing loss due to conflicting evidence and need for clarification.

The Veteran's service connection claim for bilateral hearing loss is granted as his current hearing loss is related to in-service noise exposure.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development regarding his claims of service connection for dizziness as secondary to bilateral hearing loss, a rating in excess of 20 percent for bilateral hearing loss prior to December 14, 2021, and TDIU prior to December 14, 2021. The Veteran's dizziness may be considered either a symptom of his service-connected bilateral hearing loss or a separate disability.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete clarification regarding the use of the Maryland CNC word list at private audiological examinations in March and April 2018. The Veteran's hearing loss disability rating remains pending.

The Veteran's appeal for increased ratings for his bilateral knee disabilities and hearing loss has been remanded due to the need for a new VA examination. The Veteran is currently denied an increased rating for his bilateral hearing loss, with a noncompensable evaluation assigned.

The appeal for a compensable rating for left ear hearing loss is dismissed due to the appellant's death.