Hearing loss decisions — 2023

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's claims for service connection of pulmonary fibrosis, tinnitus, and left ear hearing loss. The claim for PTSD was granted.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and examination due to insufficient evidence regarding the nature and etiology of the Veteran's right knee condition, bilateral hearing loss, and lung condition.

The Veteran's petition to reopen the claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, contact dermatitis, low back disability, right carpal tunnel syndrome, and left carpal tunnel syndrome was granted.,Service connection for tinnitus was granted on a presumptive basis as a chronic disease.

Service connection is granted for sinusitis, rhinitis, and tinnitus.,Presumptive service connection is granted for rhinitis due to exposure in the Persian Gulf War.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability and tinnitus are related to in-service noise exposure. His back disability is linked to his active service, as evidenced by a history of injuries sustained during service.,The Veteran's right and left ankle disabilities were aggravated by his service-connected right total knee replacement and/or back disability.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has not been received to reopen the claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss. The Veteran's hearing loss was not shown during service or within one year of separation, and there is no competent medical evidence linking his current hearing loss to service.,Service connection for OSA is denied as there is no evidence showing that the condition began in service or within a year after discharge. The Board found that the Veteran did not have OSA during service and there is no credible evidence connecting it to service.

The Veteran's tinnitus was granted service connection. The lumbar spine disability, left and right lower extremity radiculopathy, and bilateral hearing loss claims are remanded for further development.

The Board has found that there was not substantial compliance with the August 2023 remand directives and has therefore ordered a remand for obtaining speech discrimination scores under the Maryland CNC from the March 2016 audiogram. The TDIU claim is also being remanded due to its inextricably intertwined nature with the increased rating claim.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to incomplete service medical records. The Veteran's active duty and Army Reserve service are acknowledged, but further efforts must be made to obtain his complete service medical records.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, right groin strain, and left shoulder condition. The claim seeking entitlement to an initial rating greater than 10 percent for right groin strain was dismissed without prejudice. The claim seeking entitlement to a service connection for a bilateral knee condition is remanded.

The Board has remanded the claims for unspecified arthritis, bilateral hearing loss, and heart disability due to incomplete documentation of all qualifying periods of service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for residuals of a left ear injury, to include hearing loss, finding that there was no evidence linking his current disability to service and that he did not have a compensable degree of hearing loss within one year of discharge.

The Board has remanded the claim for another examination to assess the current severity of the Veteran's lumbar spine disability and to secure opinions addressing the combined effects of all service-connected disabilities on his occupational functioning. The AOJ must also obtain private treatment records and secure TDIU-related opinions from an appropriate clinician.

The Board has denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the evidence does not support a link between these conditions and the Veteran's military service.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss, finding that these conditions are related to the Veteran's active military service.

The Board has dismissed the appeal regarding service connection for a thoracolumbar spine disorder due to its resolution in favor of the Veteran. The Veteran's left ear hearing loss is granted, and his bilateral hearing loss is denied. The right and left hip disorders are remanded for further examination. The ratings for the ankle disabilities are also remanded.

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

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was not manifested by more than Level VIII hearing impairment in the right ear and Level V hearing impairment in the left ear, resulting in a 30 percent rating.,The Veteran's residuals of left nephrectomy have manifested with minimal symptoms and sufficient remaining kidney function that the only detectable signs on clinical tests are GFR/eGFR between 46 and 49 mL/min/1.73 m2, creatinine 1.4 to 1.5 mg%, and BUN between 22 and 33 mg%. The Veteran does not exhibit constant albuminuria or other compensable symptoms of disease of the genitourinary system.

The Board has remanded the case due to a duty to assist error, requiring additional VA examination and opinion regarding the relationship between the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and service.

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