Hearing loss decisions — 2023

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for the timeliness of the NOD to an August 2011 rating decision and service connection for a spinal tumor. The Board dismissed these claims as withdrawn by the Veteran.

The Veteran requested to withdraw his appeal for a TDIU prior to July 2, 2017. The Board dismissed the issue as it was explicitly and unambiguously made by the Veteran.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for hearing loss and lumbosacral strain, as well as his service connection claims for an acquired psychiatric disorder and headaches, require additional evidence due to the passage of time since their last examinations. The Veteran is also required to have a thorough search conducted for all Air National Guard service treatment records.

The Veteran's service connection claim for onychomycosis is granted, and his initial compensable rating claim for bilateral hearing loss is denied.

The Board has remanded the claims of entitlement to service connection for right ear hearing loss and a left ankle disorder due to inadequate medical opinions. The Veteran contends that his hearing loss is related to noise exposure during service, while his ankle disorder is linked to parachute jumps he performed in service.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is currently rated as noncompensable, and the Board finds another remand necessary to address his claim for an increased rating.,Service connection for COPD is denied due to lack of evidence linking the condition to service or herbicide agent exposure.

The Board denied service connection for deformed finger joints with pain, left knee condition, right knee condition, and bilateral hearing loss as there is no evidence of a nexus between these conditions and the Veteran's active service.,There was no in-service injury or disease related to these conditions. The medical opinions provided did not establish a link between the current disabilities and service.

The Veteran's tinnitus is granted as service-connected.,Service connection for bilateral hearing loss and left hand disability, right knee disability, and left knee disability are remanded due to the need for additional development.

The Board has remanded the case due to new evidence being added to the claim file, and the Veteran did not waive his right to have the Board decide the appeal. The case is now returned to the AOJ for review.

The Veteran's appeal for a higher rating for bilateral hearing loss and service connection for sleep apnea is remanded due to the need for additional VA treatment records and an addendum medical opinion.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus and remanded the claims for bilateral hearing loss and skin cancer. The Veteran's tinnitus is found to be related to in-service noise exposure, while his hearing loss and skin cancer are being further evaluated.

The Board has remanded the case due to unresolved medical questions regarding the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss, specifically his abnormal ipsilateral and contralateral acoustic reflexes. The Veteran is seeking increased ratings for his bilateral hearing loss.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that there is no evidence of a nexus between his current hearing loss and his military service. The earliest reported onset of hearing problems was in the early 1980s, which is more than 40 years after service.

The Veteran's left ear hearing loss disability was evaluated as noncompensable (0 percent) due to the audiometric testing results, which did not warrant a higher rating.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection of a right shoulder disability and bilateral hearing loss have been dismissed due to the death of the Veteran. The Board has no jurisdiction to adjudicate these claims as they are not about service connection.

The Board has already decided the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for bilateral hearing loss, and the RO implemented this decision. The Veteran disagrees with the implementation but cannot appeal a final Board decision.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and evaluation due to outstanding records and a need for clarification of diagnoses.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus have been dismissed due to the death of the Veteran.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including bilateral hearing loss, infertility, GERD, a right shoulder condition, a hip condition, a headache condition, and chronic sinusitis have been denied. The Veteran is currently rated at 10% for his left knee condition.

The Veteran's tinnitus and bilateral sensorineural hearing loss were not shown as chronic in service, nor did they manifest to a compensable degree within the applicable presumptive period. The persuasive weight of the evidence is against a finding that these conditions are related to his military service.,During the appellate period, the Veteran's diabetes required only restricted diet and regulation of activities with no use of insulin injections or hypoglycemic agents. His bilateral lower extremity peripheral neuropathy did not meet the criteria for disability benefits at any time during the period on appeal. The Veteran's PTSD manifested by symptoms productive of depressed mood, mild memory loss, difficulty understanding complex commands, disturbances of motivation and mood, but did not more nearly approximate occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas.