Hearing loss decisions — 2022

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and PTSD due to lack of evidence supporting the claimed in-service stressor, and because there was no significant threshold shift demonstrating permanent auditory damage on active duty.

The Board dismissed the appeal of an increased rating in excess of 80 percent for bilateral hearing loss from July 30, 2019 to the present. The claim was denied for an increased rating in excess of 60 percent for bilateral hearing loss from August 21, 2014 to July 30, 2019.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the relationship between the Veteran's right ear hearing loss and his military service. The case will be returned for further development.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss, finding that it had its onset in service and is related to noise exposure during active duty.

The Veteran's claim of service connection for bilateral hearing loss was reopened and granted. The Board found that the Veteran had a nexus between his current bilateral hearing loss and his active service, resolving all reasonable doubt in his favor. The issues of increased ratings for PTSD and back disability, as well as TDIU, are remanded.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that the Veteran's current hearing loss is etiologically related to in-service acoustic trauma and meets the criteria for presumptive service connection.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current diagnosis is related to his active duty service. However, it denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss due to insufficient evidence linking the condition to service.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was rated at 0 percent from March 17, 2004, through March 8, 2016; and 10 percent since March 9, 2016. The Board denied an initial compensable rating prior to March 9, 2016.

The Board has remanded the claims for an initial compensable rating for TBI and service connection for a bilateral hearing loss disability due to lack of substantial compliance with development requests.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for right ear hearing loss has been dismissed as there is no longer a case or controversy to resolve. The appeals for service connection for acoustic neuroma of the right ear, right facial palsy, right eye loss of eyesight, incomplete body coordination, stability and balance, and asbestos exposure are remanded for further development.

The Board has remanded the claims for further development and opinion regarding diabetes mellitus, hypertension, back disorder, neck disorder, bilateral hearing loss, and left shoulder disorder. Service connection is denied for an acquired psychiatric disorder.

The Board denied a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss prior to January 18, 2022 and a rating in excess of 10 percent thereafter. The Veteran's hearing acuity was rated as Level III in the right ear and Level IV in the left ear after January 18, 2022.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for emphysema, erectile dysfunction, and chronic kidney disease are remanded due to the need for additional evidence. The other issues have been addressed with decisions granting or denying service connection.

The appeal for the issue of sickle cell trait was dismissed. The appeals for low back disorder, pes planus, left ankle disorder, inguinal hernia, bilateral hearing loss, and sinusitis are remanded.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings, service connection, or reopening of previously denied claims have been granted. The case is remanded for further development on some issues.

The Board has remanded the case due to a missed VA hearing for an audiological examination. The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss service connection is still pending and needs further development.

The Board has remanded the cases for additional development due to insufficient opinions regarding the Veteran's hearing loss and skin disability claims.

The Veteran's service connection claim for bilateral hearing loss is denied as the evidence does not support a finding that his current hearing loss began during service or is related to an in-service injury.,Service connection for post-operative left inguinal hernia repair and scar is also denied. The Veteran has no detectable hernia, and his scar is single and painful but not well-supported by a truss.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to inadequate opinions regarding whether his service-connected disabilities caused or aggravated his claimed conditions. The issues include sleep apnea, hypertension, diabetes mellitus type II, degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine, multilevel degenerative disc disease of the cervical spine, basal cell carcinoma, and bilateral hearing loss.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the schedular criteria for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) prior to July 30, 2012. The Board denied the claim as there is insufficient evidence to substantiate a reasonable possibility that the Veteran was unemployable by reason of his service-connected PTSD.