Hearing loss decisions — 2022

The Veteran's hearing loss disability has been manifested by a hearing loss pattern with no worse than Level III for the left ear and Level I for the right ear. The criteria for entitlement to a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss have not been met.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the etiology of the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss. The Veteran will need a new VA examination to determine if his hearing loss is related to service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for glaucoma, hearing loss, and hepatitis C due to incomplete examination records. The Veteran was not contacted by VA for examinations related to these conditions.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss cannot be granted, and has remanded the heart condition claim due to insufficient evidence.

The Veteran's claims of entitlement to an initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss and service connection for hepatitis C are remanded due to the passage of time since his last VA examinations.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus. The case is remanded for a new VA examination to determine the current severity of the Veteran's service-connected ulcer.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for tinnitus, bilateral hearing loss, and an acquired psychiatric disorder (including anxiety and/or PTSD) due to outstanding private treatment records and a VA examination.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are related to his military noise exposure during active duty.

The Board has denied service connection for hammertoes, bilateral shoulder disability, left knee disability, and right hand disability (trigger finger) as they are not related to service. The case is remanded for further examination regarding the Appellant's hearing loss, hernia, and plantar fasciitis.,Further development is needed to determine if the Appellant's current hernia is related to his in-service complaints of groin pain.

The Board has granted service connection for right ear hearing loss, finding that the Veteran experienced in-service hazardous noise exposure and a progression of hearing threshold shifts over time. The decision is based on the Veteran's lay statements regarding continuous hearing problems since service.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for his service-connected bilateral hearing loss requires additional examination and remand.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are at least as likely as not due to his military noise exposure during service.

The Board has decided to remand the cases of bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to insufficient response in the December 2019 addendum opinion. The Veteran's claims for service connection are being sent back for further development.

The appeals for hearing loss, arthritis, and Parkinson's disease have been dismissed due to the appellant's death. The appeal seeking an earlier effective date for service connection has also been dismissed.

The Veteran's service connection claims for hearing loss, tinnitus, and speech impediment have been granted. Hearing loss and tinnitus are found to be directly related to exposure to loud noise during service. The pre-existing speech impediment is not considered aggravated by service.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his service-connected bilateral hearing loss was denied as the audiometric results did not warrant a compensable disability rating.,The Board remanded the claims for type II diabetes mellitus and skin cancer due to insufficient medical opinions addressing the Veteran's exposure during the Persian Gulf War.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that there was no evidence of a chronic disability during or within one year after service and concluding that current hearing loss is not related to military noise exposure.

The Veteran's appeal for a higher rating for tinnitus has been withdrawn.,The Board is remanding the issues of service connection for cervical spine disability, left knee disability, right knee disability, acquired psychiatric disorder (including depressive disorder, chronic anxiety, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)), type II diabetes mellitus, prostate cancer, erectile dysfunction, bilateral upper extremity peripheral neuropathy, bilateral lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, and bilateral hearing loss.,The Veteran's appeal for a higher rating for low back disability is also being remanded.

The Board has remanded the claims for low back disability, bilateral hearing loss, left-hand injury, and right-hand injury due to insufficient development of evidence and inadequate medical opinions. The Veteran's lay statements regarding continuity of symptoms since service are considered.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's right ear hearing loss, finding that it is at least as likely as not related to his military service.