Hearing loss decisions — 2022

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate rationale in the VA examiner's opinion and the need for a new examination. The Veteran must be provided with an adequate VA examination to determine if his bilateral hearing loss is related to service, including in-service hazardous noise exposure and the aircraft mishap at 25,000 feet with the loss of cabin pressure.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that these conditions are related to in-service noise exposure. The decision also grants secondary service connection for tinnitus as a symptom of the now service-connected bilateral hearing loss.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is rated as noncompensable, and his right hand middle finger arthritis was initially granted a 10 percent rating effective prior to June 30, 2020. The appeal for an increased rating beyond the initial grant of service connection remains denied.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus have been granted service connection due to in-service noise exposure.,Service connection for a right knee condition and left foot condition is remanded as additional development is required.

The Veteran's need for aid and attendance is remanded due to the presence of nonservice-connected conditions that contribute to his need, and a VA examination is required to assess solely his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss due to new and material evidence, but the case is remanded as an additional VA examination is needed to determine if the Veteran's current hearing loss is disabling.

The Veteran has withdrawn his appeals for increased ratings and service connection for bilateral hearing loss, hypertension, sleep apnea, and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). The Board dismissed the appeal due to the withdrawal.

The Board is remanding the cases to obtain VA audiological examination results and determine if the Veteran's hearing loss and tinnitus are related to service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is related to in-service hazardous noise exposure and grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has remanded the claims for lumbar spine and knee disabilities due to inadequate VA examination. The Veteran's right ear hearing loss, left ear hearing loss, lumbar spine degenerative arthritis and degenerative disc disease (DDD), left knee strain, and right knee strain are all at issue.

The Veteran's increased rating claim for bilateral hearing loss from May 30, 2013 to September 1, 2015 was denied. The Veteran's TDIU claim during the same period was granted.

The Board has remanded the case due to an inadequate VA examination, and a new one must be conducted.

The Board has determined that the evidence is in equipoise as to whether the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is causally or etiologically related to in-service noise exposure. As such, service connection for bilateral hearing loss is granted.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, but denied service connection for right ear hearing loss and left ear hearing loss due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to service.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to an inadequate VA examination, and a new opinion is required to determine if the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss had its onset in service.

The Veteran's increased rating claim for bilateral hearing loss is denied, and the service connection claim for a dental disability is remanded due to procedural issues.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that there is sufficient evidence to support a causal relationship between his in-service noise exposure and his current condition.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus type II is granted on a presumptive basis under the 2022 PACT Act. His bilateral hearing loss claim is denied as there is no evidence of in-service noise exposure or related disability.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus should be remanded due to a lack of a VA audiological examination addressing the etiology of these conditions, as well as consideration of whether they are related to his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's challenges to the creation of an overpayment and his claim for a waiver of its recoupment were denied as untimely. The Board found that the Veteran did not timely challenge the creation of the overpayment within one year from the issuance of the final action notice, and he also failed to file his waiver claim within 180 days after receiving the demand letter.