Hearing loss decisions — 2022

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate medical opinions regarding the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss. The Veteran needs a new examination and opinion from an appropriate clinician who must consider recent research on noise exposure.

Service connection is granted for tinnitus. The issue of service connection for bilateral hearing loss is remanded.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for bladder disability, obstructive sleep apnea, and left ear hearing loss due to multiple pre-decisional duty to assist errors.

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

The Veteran's claim for service connection for diabetes mellitus due to herbicide exposure is granted. However, the claim for bilateral sensorineural hearing loss is denied.

The Veteran's bipolar disorder is granted a 50 percent rating effective December 10, 2020. His hearing loss remains at noncompensable (0%) and his TDIU claim is granted.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that there is no evidence of a nexus between these conditions and her military service.

The Board has decided to remand the claim of entitlement to service connection for bilateral hearing loss due to unclear consideration of symptoms and evidence. The Veteran's separation examination showed a pre-service hearing loss, but he attributes his current hearing loss to noise exposure in service.

The Veteran's PTSD resulted in total occupational and social impairment from September 11, 2012, to November 13, 2012, and from December 15, 2017. From November 13, 2012, to December 15, 2017, the Veteran's PTSD symptoms caused occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas such as work, school, family relations, judgment, thinking, or mood. The Veteran is granted a 100% evaluation for PTSD from these dates.

The Veteran's tinnitus is granted as service connected. Service connection for bilateral hearing loss, left knee disability, and right knee disability are remanded.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and liver disability (claimed as hepatitis). The appeal was dismissed due to the Veteran withdrawing his claim for prostate disability.,Service connection could not be established for the Veteran's claimed disabilities because there was no evidence that they were incurred in or aggravated by military service.

The Veteran's initial claim for an initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss was denied, and his claim for service connection for benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) is being remanded.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran did not have a chronic condition during or within one year after his military service. The evidence also showed no continuous symptoms of hearing loss since service.

The Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are granted. The Veteran is denied higher ratings for his right knee, left knee, and left knee total arthroplasty conditions.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient compliance with previous remand directives regarding service connection for bilateral hearing loss. Another remand is required as the VA examiner did not specifically discuss the Veteran's lay testimony about his symptoms.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for tinnitus and an initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss.,There is no current evidence of a diagnosed condition of tinnitus or bilateral hearing loss, and the Veteran did not meet the first prong of service connection.

The Board has granted service connection for chondromalacia of the left knee and right knee, as well as bilateral hearing loss.,Service connection was established based on in-service injury and acoustic trauma.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to inconsistencies with the May 2020 VA examiner's opinion and the need to consider an alternative theory of service connection based on in-service exposure to hazardous substances, including herbicide agents and jet fuel.

The Board denied service connection for right ear mixed hearing loss and left ear sensorineural hearing loss, but granted service connection for tinnitus.,Service connection was not established for the Veteran's right ear mixed hearing loss or left ear sensorineural hearing loss due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Veteran's initial increased rating for bilateral hearing loss was denied, and the Board has remanded the issue of service connection for a bilateral lower extremity condition.