Hearing loss decisions — 2022

The Veteran's petition to reopen his claim for service connection for coronary artery disease (CAD) was granted, and he is now entitled to service connection for this condition.,His claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss remains pending as it has been remanded by the Board.

The Board has granted service connection for lumbosacral spine degenerative disease, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus. The Veteran's low back disability is found to be secondary to his service-connected left knee disability.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is rated as Level I, which does not meet the criteria for a compensable rating.

The petition to reopen the claims for service connection for Meniere's disease, migraine headaches, bilateral wrist disorder, low back disorder, right ear hearing loss, left knee disorder, and right knee disorder is granted.,Service connection is established for Meniere's disease and secondary service connection for migraine headaches are also granted.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is not considered to be due to VA treatment in 2005, and therefore compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 is denied.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable initial rating for service-connected hearing loss was denied. The Board also found that the Veteran is entitled to TDIU from January 21, 2011 and SMC under 38 U.S.C. § 1114(s) from January 21, 2011.

The Board has granted service connection for a right ear hearing loss disability and remanded the issue of entitlement to a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss disability.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is currently rated as 10 percent prior to June 28, 2021, and 20 percent on and after that date. The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for upper extremity carpal tunnel syndrome due to a lack of consideration of medications related to his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's headaches started in service and have continued. The Board finds the Veteran and service treatment records persuasive, finding that his headaches had their onset in service and have continued following service.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD, urinary incontinence from prostate cancer, and bilateral hearing loss rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation as of February 1, 2016.

The Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss is related to in-service noise exposure, and the Board has granted service connection for this condition.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a TDIU prior to April 11, 2015, finding that his service-connected disabilities did not prevent him from securing and following substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's left ear hearing loss and tinnitus are granted as service-connected, with the conditions attributed to noise exposure during military service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to a lack of sufficient evidence in their favor.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete records and an inadequate medical opinion regarding the Veteran's left ear hearing loss. The issue of service connection for left ear hearing loss is now pending.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection have been remanded due to the need for additional development of his VA treatment records, including those from March 2010 and any relevant records stored in Vista Imaging. The examiner is asked to provide an opinion regarding whether his bilateral foot numbness is related to herbicide agent exposure during service.

The Veteran's lung cancer was diagnosed within one year prior to his claim and an effective date of December 19, 2014 is granted.,A rating in excess of 10 percent for bilateral hearing loss is denied.,An initial 20 percent rating for scars associated with sigmoid stricture with diverting colostomy and cecostomy tube placement prior to November 1, 2011 is granted. A rating in excess of 20 percent beginning on November 1, 2011 is denied.,An initial rating in excess of 30 percent for ischemic heart disease is denied.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus has been reopened, with both conditions being granted.,Both the bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were found to be related to active duty service.

The Veteran's migraine headaches have been granted a 50% rating, the highest available under the schedular criteria.,The Board has found that there is equipoise of evidence regarding whether the Veteran's migraines are very frequent and prostrating enough to warrant a 50% rating. The claim for an initial compensable rating in excess of 10 percent for thoracolumbar degenerative disc disease is remanded, as well as the service connection claim for right ear hearing loss.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that his current condition is not related to active service or any incident of service, including as due to in-service noise exposure.