Hearing loss decisions — 2022

The Board previously denied service connection for right ear hearing loss. The Veteran appealed, and the Court remanded the case to clarify findings from a 2016 VA examination and an addendum opinion of 2019. The appeal is now being remanded due to insufficient clarification.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that the Veteran's current diagnosis of bilateral sensorineural hearing loss is related to his active service and resolving all reasonable doubt in his favor.

The Veteran's lumbar spine strain is rated at 20 percent, effective August 11, 2014. His right lower extremity radiculopathy and left lower extremity radiculopathy are each granted initial 20 percent ratings, effective August 11, 2014 and April 29, 2019 respectively. The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 70 percent, effective November 15, 2012. His right foot fibromatosis and left foot fibromatosis are granted service connection. His bilateral hip strains are secondary to his knee and ankle disabilities.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for left ear hearing loss as there is no current diagnosis of a hearing loss disability for VA purposes.

The Board denied service connection for PTSD, bilateral hearing loss, and other conditions due to a lack of current diagnosis meeting DSM-5 criteria. The Veteran's claims were remanded multiple times but no new evidence was provided.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient rationale in the VA examiner's opinion regarding the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss. The Veteran needs a new medical opinion that considers his testimony and reports of noise exposure during service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim for service connection for erectile dysfunction due to herbicide agents exposure, including as secondary to his service-connected PTSD. The case is also remanded for a medical opinion on whether any current erectile dysfunction is related to military service or aggravated by his service-connected PTSD.

The Board has remanded the case due to an inadequate VA examination for bilateral hearing loss, and the Veteran should be afforded another examination to determine the current severity of his service-connected condition.

The Board denied service connection for left upper extremity radiculopathy, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus as these conditions are not related to the Veteran's active military service.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability and tinnitus due to insufficient reasons and bases in the previous decision, specifically regarding the definition of a 'significant threshold shift' and the basis for attributing in-service threshold shifts.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus have led to his inability to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation, but the percentage requirements for a TDIU on a schedular basis are not met. The Board has referred the claim for a TDIU on an extraschedular basis to VA's Director of Compensation Service.

The Board has remanded the cases for further examination and opinion regarding service connection for right and left shoulder disabilities. The Veteran's hearing loss is denied as not related to noise exposure in service.

The Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss disability is found to be related to his active service, with continuity of symptoms since separation.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection were dismissed due to his death. The Board has no jurisdiction to adjudicate the merits of these claims as he died during the appeal process.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and Meniere's disease, finding that there was no clear and unmistakable evidence of pre-existence or aggravation by service. The examiner concluded that the right ear hearing loss and Meniere's disease were not caused by noise exposure in service.,The Board also denied service connection for left ear hearing loss, concluding that the Veteran's left ear hearing loss clearly and unmistakably pre-existed service and was not aggravated by service.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient rationale in a prior VA examiner's opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's bilateral sensorineural hearing loss. The case is now being returned for an updated opinion that addresses this issue.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's conditions are etiologically related to his active duty service. The decision is based on continuity of symptomatology and in-service noise exposure.

The Board denied a compensable rating for the Veteran's service-connected right ear hearing loss, finding that his hearing acuity did not warrant such a rating based on VA examination results and the applicable rating criteria.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus is granted. The Board finds that the Veteran experienced ringing in his ears during service and has credible testimony supporting this. Service connection is granted as it meets all elements: a current disability, in-service incurrence or aggravation of a disease or injury, and causal relationship between the present disability and the disease or injury incurred or aggravated during service. The claim for bilateral hearing loss is remanded due to lack of a VA examination.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to incomplete records and the need for further medical evaluation.