Hearing loss decisions — 2022

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and bilateral tinnitus, finding that the evidence is at least evenly balanced for a finding of in-service onset.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is related to his active service, resolving reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and sleep apnea. The Veteran's current diagnoses are related to his active duty service.

The Veteran's claim for bilateral hearing loss was denied as he does not meet the criteria for a current disability under VA regulations.,The Veteran's claim for degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine was granted as there is at least equipoise evidence that his symptoms began during service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for specially adapted housing or special home adaptation grant due to lack of loss of use, blindness, burns, ALS, inhalation injury, or other permanent and total disability.

The Veteran meets the schedular requirements for Total Disability Rating Based on Individual Unemployability (TDIU) due to his service-connected PTSD, bilateral knee disability, prostate condition, hypertension, tinnitus, and bilateral hearing loss. The Board finds that these disabilities prevent him from engaging in substantially gainful employment.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's right ear hearing loss did not undergo an increase in severity during service, and thus cannot be granted service connection. The lumbosacral strain issue is remanded for further examination. TDIU is also remanded.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claims for service connection for right ear and left ear hearing loss, finding that her current bilateral hearing loss is related to her military service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to the need for additional examinations and evaluations. The issues include bilateral foot disability, left hand and left arm disabilities, and bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus.

The Board has granted service connection for left and right ear hearing loss, as well as tinnitus on a substitution basis due to the submission of new and material evidence. The Veteran's hearing loss is related to his military service, while his tinnitus was also linked to his time in service.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for a higher rating on his bilateral hearing loss disability was denied. His petition to reopen the cervical spine disability claim was granted, but service connection was still not established.

The Board has remanded the issue of service connection for bilateral hearing loss due to a lack of clarity in the May 2016 VA examination.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that the Veteran's current hearing loss is at least as likely as not related to his military service.

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

The Veteran's claim for an undiagnosed respiratory disorder is granted as there is objective evidence of a current disability and it is related to his Gulf War service.,Service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied due to the lack of evidence of a current disability meeting VA criteria.,Service connection for a disorder manifested by chest pain (iritis) is denied as the Veteran's iritis is not considered separate from his already service-connected fibromyalgia.,Service connection for Achilles tendonitis and plantar fasciitis is denied due to these conditions being related to his already service-connected fibromyalgia.,The Veteran's claims for iritis, Achilles tendonitis, and plantar fasciitis are not granted as there is no evidence of a separate disability.

The Veteran's right ear hearing loss is granted as service connected, but his left ear hearing loss does not meet the criteria for a VA disability rating.

The Veteran's application to reopen service connection for left ear hearing loss was granted. Service connection for right ear hearing loss was denied, and tinnitus was granted as incurred in service.

The Board has granted a TDIU rating effective December 13, 2020. The claim for an earlier effective date prior to December 13, 2020 is remanded due to the need for referral to the Director of Compensation Service for consideration of an extraschedular TDIU.

The Veteran's claims of service connection for depression/anxiety, a right knee condition, and initial increased disability ratings for his service-connected lumbosacral strain with degenerative arthritis and IVDS, and bilateral hearing loss are dismissed. The Veteran's claims for an initial increased disability rating in excess of 10 percent for right lower extremity sciatic radulopathy and left lower extremity sciatic radulopathy are also dismissed.

The Board dismissed the Veteran's appeals for increased ratings of hemorrhoids and hearing loss, and granted service connection for PTSD. The lumbar spine disability appeal is remanded.