Hearing loss decisions — 2022

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD, hearing loss, tinnitus, and diabetes mellitus have caused him to be unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation. His death was due to his service-connected conditions, specifically his diabetes mellitus which is presumed to be caused by herbicide exposure.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for TDIU from August 10, 2005 to August 1, 2014 as his service-connected disabilities did not meet the schedular criteria for a TDIU and extraschedular referral was not warranted.

The Board has determined that additional VA treatment records need to be obtained and reviewed before the claims for service connection can be decided. The case is being remanded back to the AOJ for this purpose.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus have been denied. The Board found that the current schedular ratings adequately reflect the severity of his service-connected conditions, and no extraschedular rating is warranted.

The Veteran's service connection claim for bilateral hearing loss is denied as there is no evidence of current right ear hearing loss.,Service connection has been granted for tinnitus, with the opinion that it is related to in-service noise exposure.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for left knee osteoarthritis, finding that it is not proximately due to or aggravated by his service-connected right knee osteoarthritis.,The Board remanded the issue of service connection for bilateral hearing loss, as there was insufficient evidence regarding its onset during service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are not service-connected, as there is no evidence of a chronic disease present during or after service, and the medical opinion indicates that any current hearing loss was likely due to post-service occupational noise exposure rather than in-service noise exposure.

The Board has remanded several claims due to the need for additional medical examinations and records, including those related to PTSD, headaches, hearing loss, tinnitus, low back disability, right hand disability, left hand disability, right foot disability, left foot disability, heart disability, erectile dysfunction, and gonorrhea.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss due to an inadequate VA opinion based on inaccurate factual premises. The case is being sent back for further development and a new VA opinion.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss was denied, but the appeal to reopen the claim has been granted. The Veteran's claim for PTSD is being remanded.,Service connection for PTSD will be considered after further development and examination.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss is currently rated at 0 percent, and the Board has decided to remand this case for a new VA examination to assess the current severity of his condition.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection for type 2 diabetes mellitus, Parkinson's disease, bilateral hearing loss, and sleep apnea are remanded due to inadequate development of his exposure history and potential etiology.,Specifically, the Board found that there was insufficient information regarding the Veteran's alleged exposures to environmental toxins during service. The claims for service connection for type 2 diabetes mellitus, Parkinson's disease, bilateral hearing loss, and sleep apnea are all remanded due to this lack of development.

The Veteran's claims for hypertension, cardiovascular conditions, and left ear hearing loss have been granted. The remaining issues of service connection for headaches, back condition, prostate condition, bladder condition, kidney condition, hepatitis, and nicotine dependence are dismissed as the appeal is not about service connection at all.,The Veteran's claim for a back condition has been remanded due to incomplete development.

The Board has determined that a remand is necessary due to the inadequacy of the August 2020 VA addendum opinion, which did not address missing audiometric results from the Veteran's 1965 separation examination.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are inextricably intertwined, as they both involve noise exposure during service. The Board is remanding these cases to obtain updated VA treatment records and a new VA audiological examination to determine if any current hearing loss disability arose during service or is otherwise related to service.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss has worsened, and a new VA examination is needed to determine the current severity of his disability.

The Veteran's unspecified trauma or stressor related disorder, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus are all granted as service connected. The Board found that the Veteran had exposure to noise during his military service which is considered sufficient for these conditions.

The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including right and left ear hearing loss, right ankle disorder, hip strains, restless leg syndromes, vascular disease, edema/varicose veins, chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), and fibromyalgia. The decision also noted that the Veteran's anxiety disorder was granted at a 50% rating for the initial period from June 24, 2011 to September 13, 2021.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss was denied as his hearing acuity did not meet the criteria for a higher rating.

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