Hearing loss decisions — 2022

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate examination and development of evidence, particularly regarding the Veteran's TBI disability and its impact on his hearing loss and dizziness.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right ear hearing loss did not start during service or is otherwise related to an in-service injury or disease. Therefore, the claim for service connection for right ear hearing loss is denied.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss has been reopened and granted. The issue of service connection for a throat condition, including as due to radium treatment during service, is remanded.

The Board has granted service connection for right ear hearing loss and remanded the issue of rating in excess of 10 percent for bilateral plantar fasciitis.

The appeals for service connection for hypothermia, hearing loss, chronic fatigue syndrome, and PTSD have been dismissed.,Service connection has been reopened for right foot cold injury, left foot cold injury, right hand cold injury, and left hand cold injury.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is remanded due to the need for additional development, including clarification on when he last worked full-time and new examinations focused on his hearing loss, tinnitus, and PTSD.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for arthritis of the right and left upper extremities, as well as left ear hearing loss due to concerns about the adequacy of the VA examination opinions.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus. The decision on bilateral hearing loss is based on a lack of evidence showing that the condition began during service or was related to an in-service injury, while the tinnitus claim is dismissed as there was no new claim submitted after the June 2019 rating decision.

The Veteran's appeal for a disability rating exceeding 10 percent for bilateral hearing loss is dismissed. The Veteran's claim for service connection for skin cancer and residuals thereof, as well as his claim for service connection for a back disability, are granted.

The rating reduction of the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss from 30 percent to 10 percent was not proper, and therefore, the 30 percent rating is restored.,From March 6, 2018, the criteria for an initial rating of 100 percent for aortic aneurysm associated with high cholesterol have been met.,From March 6, 2018, the Veteran's unspecified anxiety disorder more nearly approximated occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas.,The Veteran is entitled to an effective date prior to September 14, 2021 for a 100 percent rating for his heart disability due to service connection being granted within one year of the initial grant of service connection.,An earlier effective date of March 6, 2018 for SMC based on need for regular aid and attendance is granted.

The Board has found the VA Centralized Eligibility and Appeals Team (CEAT) review inadequate to support the decision made, as it did not address significant medical evidence concerning whether the Veteran may require daily assistance to complete an ADL or a need for supervision, protection, or instruction. The matter is remanded for further review.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for his service-connected bilateral hearing loss is dismissed without prejudice.,His claim for a higher rating for pleural plaques, claimed as asbestosis, was denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a rating in excess of 10 percent.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to inadequate opinions in the VA examination report. The claims are pending further development.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a duty to assist error, and will provide an addendum opinion regarding the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss.

Your appeal has been dismissed due to the Veteran's death before a decision was made.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus have been granted service connection effective August 31, 2020.,An initial disability rating of 10 percent for bilateral hearing loss has also been granted.

The Board denied service connection for tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss, finding that the evidence did not support a link between these conditions and active military service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including asbestosis and related respiratory conditions, have rendered him unable to secure or maintain substantially gainful employment since October 22, 2012. The Board has granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) effective from October 22, 2012.

The Board has remanded the case for an addendum opinion regarding service connection for right ear hearing loss. The Veteran's claims for left ear hearing loss and tinnitus have been granted, but his claim for right ear hearing loss remains pending.

The Board has denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss but granted service connection for tinnitus. The decision is based on the Veteran's in-service noise exposure and credible assertions of current symptoms.