Hearing loss decisions — 2022

The Board has withdrawn the appeal of the issue regarding entitlement to an initial compensable disability rating for bilateral hearing loss. The remaining issues have been remanded for additional development.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including bilateral pes planus, right inguinal hernia residuals, tinnitus, allergic rhinitis, and bilateral hearing loss, have prevented him from securing or maintaining substantially gainful employment since May 30, 2018. The Board has granted a TDIU on an extraschedular basis effective that date.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to missing STRs and SPRs, requiring further development including VA examinations.

The Board denied service connection for degenerative disc disease, lumbar spine (claimed as lower back condition), right foot drop, bilateral hearing loss, and bilateral tinnitus. The claim for the lower back condition was not reopened due to lack of new and material evidence.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is not shown to be productive of worse than level I, warranting a noncompensable rating.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and acquired psychiatric disorder due to incomplete records and inadequate medical opinions.

The Veteran's service connection claims for ischemic heart disease, tinnitus, and right ear hearing loss are granted. Claims for sleep apnea, diabetic cardiomyopathy, diabetic neuropathy of the lower extremities, avascular necrosis, gastrointestinal disability, diabetic retinopathy, and diabetic nephropathy are denied.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus on a presumptive basis as the Veteran's MOS was artillery crewman, which exposed him to noise. The hearing loss claim is remanded due to new evidence submitted since the last final denial.,Service connection for hearing loss is being remanded because of newly associated records from the Veteran's 1980 service showing a diagnosis of hearing loss.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss as there was no evidence of a current disability meeting VA criteria.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development due to incomplete examinations and conflicting medical opinions. The issues of service connection for an eye disability, as secondary to a facial scar, and for bilateral hearing loss disability are both pending.

The Veteran's left ear hearing loss is rated as noncompensable, and his hypertension is rated as 10 percent. The issues of increased rating for lumbar strain and service connection for a stomach disability secondary to lumbar strain are remanded.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional medical opinions regarding whether the Veteran's left ear hearing loss is caused or aggravated by her service-connected Meniere's syndrome and/or vertigo. The VA must also obtain any outstanding treatment records from various VA facilities.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was rated as zero percent prior to May 27, 2015; 10 percent from May 27, 2015 to August 13, 2019; and 20 percent thereafter. The appeal is denied.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that his current hearing loss is not related to military service or aggravated by a service-connected condition.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is related to in-service noise exposure and service connection for this condition is granted. However, the Veteran's deviated septum was not aggravated by his military service and service connection for this issue is denied.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for neck disability, back disability, left hip disability, left knee disability, and bilateral hearing loss as there is no evidence of a current disability that is related to service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for chronic myelogenous leukemia, bilateral hearing loss, and PTSD due to new evidence and other issues. The Veteran will need to provide additional records and Social Security Administration (SSA) records.

The Board has dismissed the appeals for the issues of whether new and material evidence has been received to reopen a previously denied claim of entitlement to service connection for bilateral hearing loss, and entitlement to service connection for a head condition, to include as secondary to service-connected back disability. The remaining issues have been remanded for further development.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hearing loss of the left ear does not meet or approximate the criteria for a compensable rating under VA regulations.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus as there is insufficient evidence regarding their onset during service or their relationship to in-service noise exposure.