Hearing loss decisions — 2022

The Veteran's appeals for service connection were withdrawn, and the Board dismissed the claims as moot due to the withdrawal. The Veteran was granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss.

The Veteran's claim for an evaluation in excess of 10 percent for tinnitus is denied. The maximum schedular rating for recurrent tinnitus (tinnitus) is 10 percent, and there is no evidence to support a higher rating.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus and denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and plantar fasciitis. Service connection was granted for tinnitus due to the Veteran's competent lay statements regarding his in-service noise exposure and current symptoms. However, service connection was not granted for bilateral hearing loss or plantar fasciitis as there is no evidence of a nexus between these conditions and service.

The Veteran's claim for increased ratings for his service-connected hearing loss was denied. Prior to February 17, 2022, the Veteran had only left ear hearing loss rated as noncompensable. After February 17, 2022, he was granted bilateral hearing loss with a noncompensable rating.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral high frequency hearing loss has been rated at 10 percent since October 31, 2021. The Board found that the disability is no worse than Level V in both ears and thus does not warrant a higher rating.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not prevent him from securing and maintaining substantially gainful employment, thus his claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability is denied.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus have prevented him from obtaining and retaining gainful employment, meeting the criteria for a TDIU.

The Veteran's initial claim for a compensable rating for left ear hearing loss was denied. The Board also remanded the issue of service connection for right ear hearing loss due to inadequate opinion in the March 2022 VA examination.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is related to service, and the Board has granted his claim for service connection.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's tinnitus is service-connected, but has remanded the issue of his bilateral hearing loss due to a lack of evidence.

The Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for service connection for vertigo, TDIU, and Dependents' Educational Assistance were denied as there was no evidence of an increase in disability during the one year prior to his claim.

The Board denied the Veteran's request to readjudicate his claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss because no new and relevant evidence was submitted, as all previously considered evidence has been before agency adjudicators.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal, thus the Board dismissed all issues related to service connection for various disabilities.

The Veteran's appeals for various conditions and service connection claims have been dismissed due to his withdrawal of the appeal.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's conditions began during active service and are related to in-service noise exposure.

The Veteran requested to withdraw his appeals for heat exhaustion, musculoskeletal mid/lower back (thoracolumbar spine), bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus. The Board dismissed the appeal as a result.

The Board dismissed the claim of service connection for bilateral hearing loss because it was untimely. The Board granted service connection for tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's report of in-service onset and continuity is credible.

The Board has determined that new and relevant evidence was received, granting the request to readjudicate a claim for service connection for ear conditions including eustachian tube dysfunction, otitis externa, and bilateral hearing loss. The issue of service connection for these conditions is remanded due to inadequate VA examinations.

The Board has reopened the claims for service connection for acid reflux, bilateral lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, residuals of left ankle fracture, and urinary incontinence secondary to a psychiatric disorder. The other claims remain denied as new evidence does not relate to these issues.

The Board denied service connection for hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran did not have a current disability due to in-service noise exposure. The VA examiners provided opinions against the claim based on the lack of significant threshold shifts between enlistment and separation audiograms.