Hearing loss decisions — 2023

The Veteran's claims for a higher rating for his left knee condition and service connection for hearing loss in both ears are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations.,The Veteran's claim for an initial compensable rating for his left ear hearing loss is being remanded as he reported worsening symptoms and there was no right ear hearing loss diagnosed. A new examination is needed, considering his testimony of noise exposure during service.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for his right ear hearing loss is being remanded due to the need for a new examination and opinion addressing whether it is related to service or within one year post-service.,The Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD, anxiety, and depression), left hip disability, right hip disability, left ankle disability, and right ankle disability are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations considering his lay statements and secondary theories of entitlement.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for his bilateral hip disability is being remanded as there was no current diagnosis found in a previous examination. A new opinion is needed regarding whether it is related to his back condition or aggravated by other conditions.,The Veteran's claims for service connection for his bilateral ankle disability are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations considering his lay statements and secondary theories of entitlement as raised at his hearing.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for his left knee condition is being remanded as there was no current diagnosis found in a previous examination. A new opinion is needed regarding whether it is related to his back condition or aggravated by other conditions.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and development of records.

The Veteran's tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss are granted as presumptive service connected due to exposure to acoustic trauma during active duty. The Board affirms the findings of current diagnoses and finds no intercurrent etiology.

The Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss and back condition are remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions.,The Veteran's claim for a psychiatric disorder is remanded as he has not been afforded a VA examination regarding his current diagnoses.,The Veteran's claim for erectile dysfunction/loss of reproductive organ is remanded because it is inextricably intertwined with his service connection claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder.,The Veteran's claim for obstructive sleep apnea is remanded as he has not been afforded a VA examination regarding his current diagnosis.,The Veteran's claims for bronchial asthma and COPD are remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions.,The Veteran's claim for a right shoulder disability is remanded because he has not been afforded a VA examination regarding his current condition.,The Veteran's claims for frostbite left foot, frostbite right foot, chronic mycotic infection bilateral feet, and bilateral foot disability are remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions.

The Veteran's left knee disability is granted, but the bilateral hearing loss and PTSD claims are denied.,PTSD was granted for an initial evaluation of 50 percent prior to October 26, 2017, but denied for evaluations in excess of 50 percent.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for left ear hearing loss was granted with an effective date of August 3, 2016. The Board found that the earliest date entitlement arose was August 3, 2013.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further development regarding service connection for a suppressed immune system and susceptibility to upper respiratory infection. The initial rating for sinus headaches and the initial compensable rating for right ear hearing loss are denied.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for an additional VA audiological examination to determine if the Veteran's right ear hearing loss is related to in-service motor vehicle accidents and noise exposure.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is related to in-service acoustic trauma and granted service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss has worsened since his last VA examination in June 2018. The Board finds that a new VA examination is needed to determine the current severity of his disability.

The Veteran's hypertension is granted an increased, 10 percent disability evaluation.,Service connection for bilateral hearing loss is granted.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, hemorrhoids, hysterectomy, migraine headaches, left knee condition, and anemia as the evidence did not support a current disability or link to service.,For each condition, the Board found that there was no competent evidence demonstrating a relationship between the claimed conditions and any incident of service.

The Veteran's persistent depressive disorder is part of his PTSD and does not result in a separate disability. His PTSD results in total occupational and social impairment.,The Veteran's PTSD warrants an initial rating of 100%.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus is granted. The Board also remanded the issue of service connection for bilateral hearing loss.

The Board has decided to remand the cases for further examination and evaluation due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss, GERD, and IBS.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a bilateral hearing loss disability is denied because there is no current diagnosis of this condition, and the evidence does not establish that it was incurred in or aggravated by service.

The Veteran's right knee disability and right ear hearing loss have been granted service connection. The increased evaluation for bilateral hearing loss is being remanded.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings are being remanded due to the need for additional evidence. The Veteran is granted a 70 percent rating for PTSD, but TDIU is granted.

The Veteran's claim for an initial compensable disability rating for hearing loss was denied. The effective date for service connection for hearing loss and tinnitus was also denied.,Hearing loss is rated as Level I, which does not meet the criteria for a compensable rating.

The Veteran's right ear hearing loss was rated as noncompensable, with a finding that his hearing acuity did not meet the criteria for a compensable rating based on audiometric test results and medical evidence.