Hearing loss decisions — 2022

The Veteran withdrew his appeals to reopen the claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus.

The Veteran's appeal for increased ratings for bilateral hearing loss and TDIU prior to November 3, 2014 is being remanded due to the need for further development of evidence.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that the evidence did not show a link between the Veteran's current hearing loss and his active duty service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus has been granted. The issues of entitlement to a compensable rating for right ear hearing loss and service connection for left ear hearing loss have been withdrawn.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss has been granted. The Board also found new and material evidence to reopen the claim of service connection for a sleep disorder, including OSA and insomnia, but remanded for further examination.

The Veteran's cervical spine disorder and bilateral hearing loss have not been established as service-connected.,The Veteran's angioedema has been rated but the claim for a higher rating remains pending.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that there was no evidence of chronic hearing loss in service or within a presumptive period, and that it was not related to active duty service.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for sleep apnea, hypertension, and pulmonary heart disease. The evidence does not support a finding that these conditions began during his active service or are otherwise related to an in-service injury or disease.,The Board also remanded several issues including entitlement to initial ratings for tinnitus and hearing loss, as well as the reopening of claims for PTSD, right knee disability (now status post total replacement), and left knee disability.

The Veteran's claim for an initial compensable rating and a rating in excess of 10 percent as of December 18, 2018, for bilateral hearing loss is being remanded due to the need for a VA examination to assess the current severity of his service-connected disability.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is currently rated as noncompensable. The left eye epiretinal membrane with chorioretinal scar was granted a 10 percent rating from October 31, 2014. For the left knee and right knee conditions, the Veteran's ratings remain unchanged.

The Board denied service connection for left ear hearing loss, finding that the Veteran's current condition did not originate in service and was not caused by noise exposure during military service.

The Veteran's osteosarcoma, right shoulder disability, and right hip disability are not service-connected as they did not begin in or are otherwise related to his active service.,The Veteran's left eye glaucoma is not service-connected as it did not begin in or be otherwise related to his active service. His bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were not shown as chronic in service, did not manifest to a compensable degree within the applicable presumptive period, and are not otherwise etiologically related to an in-service injury or disease.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities prevented him from engaging in substantially gainful employment prior to March 3, 2018. The Board granted a TDIU on an extra-schedular basis.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to an inadequate VA examination and the need for further medical evaluation regarding the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for left leg sciatica, bilateral hearing loss, and erectile dysfunction due to service connection issues. The Veteran will need to undergo VA examinations and obtain relevant medical records.

The Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) have been denied as there is no evidence of current disabilities or in-service incurrence. The Board finds that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of bilateral hearing loss for VA purposes, nor has he had such through the appeal period.,The Veteran's claim for GERD was also denied due to lack of service connection and insufficient evidence linking his current condition to service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including polysubstance abuse disorder and bipolar disorder, and for a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss. The evidence did not support granting these claims.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the relationship between the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and his active duty service.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that there is no evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and consideration due to conflicting opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's neck condition and bilateral SNHL. The claims are being returned to the AOJ for additional analysis.