Hearing loss decisions — 2022

The Board has remanded several issues, including service connection for a stomach disability, a headache disability, and an increased rating for PTSD. The Veteran's right shoulder, left knee, and lumbar spine disabilities are still under review.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened and granted. His bilateral hearing loss disability, tinnitus, diabetes mellitus type II, prostate cancer, ischemic heart disease, right shoulder osteoarthritis with strain, and back disability are all found to be related to his active duty service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for skin cancer, bilateral hearing loss, and sciatica of the lower extremities are granted. The claim for sciatica of the right and left lower extremities is remanded due to insufficient evidence.

The Veteran's hypertension, left ear hearing loss, and PTSD are all rated as they currently manifest.,PTSD is rated at the maximum of 70 percent.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and examination. The Veteran's left ear hearing loss disability, pes planus, right shoulder and arm disability, and back disability are all being reviewed to determine if they are related to his service.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for service-connected bilateral hearing loss is remanded due to the need for a new VA audiology examination.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral sensorineural hearing loss, left leg disability, right leg disability, and left ankle disability.,Service connection was not granted for any of the claimed disabilities.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and acquired psychiatric disorder have been granted service connection. The rating for the acquired psychiatric disorder is set at 30 percent.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is likely due to noise exposure during his military service and grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate medical opinion regarding the relationship between the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and service. The Veteran contends that his hearing loss is related to in-service acoustic trauma, but the VA examiner did not fully consider his post-service employment as a sawmill mechanic where he reported using hearing protection.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss and higher initial ratings for PTSD with secondary alcohol abuse and dysthymic disorder, resulting in the dismissal of these claims.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a right knee disability was denied in 1991, but new evidence has now been submitted to reopen the claim.,Service connection is granted for a posterior cruciate ligament injury of the right knee.

The Veteran's initial compensable rating for left ear hearing loss is denied, and a rating in excess of 70 percent from August 13, 2020 is also denied. Service connection for a urinary system and bladder disability due to Agent Orange exposure or secondary to service-connected disabilities is not granted.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence and a need for further examination. The issues include headaches, PTSD, brain aneurysm, TBI, balance disability, sleep apnea, bilateral hearing loss, dental disability, cervical spine disability, thoracolumbar spine disability, right wrist disability, left wrist disability, right thumb disability, left thumb disability, right knee disability, and left knee disability.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for hearing loss, tinnitus, and cirrhosis of the liver have been granted. The case is also REMANDED to obtain additional medical opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's cirrhosis of the liver.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that it had its onset during service and is related to noise exposure.

The Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were not reopened, while his claim for an increased rating of coronary artery disease was granted but only up to a 10 percent disability rating prior to January 4, 2019.

The Veteran's tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss were denied as not related to service.,The Veteran was found not to have a current diagnosis of hearing loss for VA purposes, thus denying his claim for this condition.,The cause of the Veteran's death is remanded due to potential exposure to herbicide agents in Vietnam.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate medical opinions regarding the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss, specifically addressing missing audiometric values at 3000Hz and 6000Hz levels in his service entrance and separation exams.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal regarding hearing loss, so the case is dismissed.