Hearing loss decisions — 2022

The Board denied entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) prior to February 13, 2012, and dismissed the claims for increased ratings for varicose veins of the left and right lower extremities.

The Board remanded several claims for further development, including service connection for hearing loss and other disabilities, as well as a claim for nonservice-connected pension benefits.

The Board has denied service connection for left ear hearing loss due to the lack of a current disability as defined by VA compensation criteria. The Veteran's claims for increased ratings on his left shoulder and ankle, and for an acquired psychiatric disability are remanded for further development.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is currently rated as noncompensable prior to January 11, 2020 and at most a 10 percent rating thereafter.,The Veteran's IBS does not meet the criteria for a higher than 10 percent rating based on severity of symptoms.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date of May 19, 2014 for service connection for degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine is granted. The Veteran's claim for reopening his previously denied left ear hearing loss and secondary service connection for a left foot disability are both remanded.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not meet the criteria for a TDIU prior to June 14, 2014. The Board has also remanded the issue of extraschedular TDIU due to the severity of his tinnitus.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was not incurred or aggravated by service, as there is no evidence of an in-service condition and no competent medical nexus linking the current condition to service. The claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied.

The Board has remanded the claims for right ear hearing loss, right upper and lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, cold injury residuals in both upper and lower extremities, and muscle atrophy in both upper and lower extremities due to incomplete development of evidence.,Additional medical opinions are needed to address the nature and etiology of these conditions.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current bilateral hearing loss disability for VA purposes, and therefore denied his claim of service connection.