Hearing loss decisions — 2022

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is related to service, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's appeals for effective dates and ratings related to PTSD, prostate cancer residuals, and bilateral hearing loss have been dismissed. The appeal for a TDIU has been granted, as well as basic eligibility for Dependents' Educational Assistance.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for specially adapted housing or a special home adaptation grant due to his inability to use assistive devices and maintain independent mobility.

The Veteran's appeals for increased evaluations and service connection have been withdrawn. The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's back, psychiatric disabilities, hip, shoulder, knee, and other conditions.

The Board has remanded several claims for further development, including those related to hearing loss, tinnitus, skin conditions, diabetes mellitus type 2, right eye blindness, hypertension, cancer of the jaw, and an acquired psychiatric disability. The issues are being remanded due to duty-to-assist errors.

The Board has denied service connection for various conditions including bilateral hearing loss, hypertension, coronary artery disease (claimed as a heart condition), diabetes mellitus, type II, kidney disability, cervical spine disability, back disability, right hip disability, left hip disability, right shoulder disability, left shoulder disability, right elbow disability, left elbow disability, right ankle disability, left ankle disability, right foot disability, left foot disability, and right knee disability. The Board found no evidence of in-service onset or relationship to service for these conditions.

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

The Board has granted service connection for right hand arthritis but has remanded the issue of service connection for right ear hearing loss due to insufficient evidence.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and lower back condition are both granted service connection. The Board found the evidence at least in equipoise for both conditions, with the Veteran's credible statements and medical opinions supporting his claims.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus but has remanded the issue of service connection for bilateral hearing loss due to a lack of adequate VA examination and consideration of relevant evidence.

The Board has found errors in the original decision and has remanded the cases for further development, including obtaining private medical records and providing an addendum opinion regarding hearing loss.

The Veteran's tinnitus, right knee disability, and anxiety disorder have been granted service connection. The Veteran's right ear hearing loss, left ear hearing loss, low back disability, and hypertension have not met the criteria for a compensable rating.

The Veteran's hearing loss has been rated as noncompensable, with Level I hearing impairment in the right ear and Level II in the left ear. The Board found that a compensable rating for his service-connected hearing loss is not warranted at any point during the appeal period.

The Veteran's left ear hearing loss is rated as Level I, which corresponds to no worse than Level I hearing acuity. The Board denied an initial compensable rating for the condition.

The Veteran's attorney requested to withdraw the appeal for service connection of bilateral hearing loss, and the Board dismissed the case as a result.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to pre-decisional duty-to-assist errors and inadequate examination, requiring further investigation and opinion.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is currently rated as noncompensable, and a rating in excess of 10 percent for tinnitus is denied.,The Board has remanded the issue of entitlement to service connection for sleep impairment as secondary to tinnitus due to the duty to assist.

The Board has granted earlier effective dates of April 18, 2017 for service connection to be established for tinnitus, left ear hearing loss, and right ear hearing loss. These conditions are related to the Veteran's in-service noise exposure.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, finding that the Veteran first experienced ringing in his ears during active service and continues to have it since. Service connection was denied for bilateral hearing loss disability due to a lack of evidence meeting VA's criteria for a current disability.

The Board has remanded the cases due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error regarding obtaining outstanding medical records.