Hearing loss decisions — 2022

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus. The cases of peripheral neuropathy, cardiac condition, and bilateral hearing loss are remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are found to be related to in-service noise exposure. The low back disability is remanded for further development.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence regarding when the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss began, and which period of service it is linked to. The Veteran needs to provide more information about her specific periods of active duty or training.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of fibromyalgia, right calf disability, left calf disability, or right thigh disability. The claims for these conditions are therefore denied.,The Veteran's heart condition claim is remanded as there was inadequate examination and opinion regarding the etiology of his claimed heart condition.

The Veteran's hearing loss in his left ear has worsened since the last VA examination, and a new evaluation is needed to determine the current severity of his condition.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate development and need for an etiology opinion regarding the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for sleep issues and bilateral hearing loss due to lack of evidence supporting a causal relationship between these conditions and his military service. The case is remanded for further development.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss are related to service, but his low back disability is not. The case is being remanded for additional development.

The Veteran's right ear hearing loss is considered to have started during his military service and has continued since then. The Board granted the claim for service connection based on continuity of symptoms.

The Board has remanded the claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to new evidence showing current diagnoses. The low back disorder claim remains denied.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, CAD, and hearing loss, have resulted in unemployability. The Board has granted a TDIU based on the severity of these conditions.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that there is no evidence to support a link between these conditions and his time in service.

The Veteran's service connection claims for tinnitus and left ear hearing loss have been denied as there is no evidence of a nexus between the current conditions and his military service.

The Board has remanded the claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to inadequate opinions in previous VA medical evaluations. The Veteran's service connection claims are being returned for further evaluation with new, adequate opinions regarding the etiology of his hearing loss and tinnitus.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss as there is no current disability found, and thus the first prong of the Shedden test has not been met.

The Board has remanded the issue of service connection for obstructive sleep apnea due to a new theory of entitlement raised by the Veteran, contending that his sleep apnea is proximately due to obesity caused by his service-connected disabilities. The VA failed to receive any examinations or opinions regarding the relationship between these conditions and the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea and failed to determine whether any of these conditions led to the Veteran's obesity which caused or aggravated his sleep apnea.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was evaluated and found to correspond to no greater than Level II hearing loss in both ears, resulting in a noncompensable rating. The Board denied the claim for a compensable rating.

The Veteran's claims for an increased rating for PTSD and service connection for bilateral hearing loss are remanded due to the need for additional examinations and records.

The Veteran's claims for a higher rating for bilateral hearing loss and TDIU are being remanded due to the need for additional VA treatment records, audiogram results, and further development of the evidence.

The Board has decided the case must be remanded again due to inadequate opinion in a previous VA examination. The Veteran's hearing loss is related to service, but there are questions about when it developed.