Hearing loss decisions — 2023

The Veteran's appeals for hearing loss and skin condition (claimed as jungle rot) were dismissed due to his withdrawal of these claims.,Service connection was granted for cervical-spine disorder with associated left-upper-extremity radiculopathy, lumbar-spine disorder with associated right and left-lower-extremity radiculopathy, and right-knee disorder, all secondary to service-connected bilateral pes planus and hallux valgus.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is currently rated at 40 percent, and the Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted based on the evidence of record.

The Veteran's TDIU claim for the period from December 1, 2018, to June 30, 2022, is being remanded due to new evidence submitted in August 2020. The case will be referred to VA's Director of Compensation Services for consideration of an extraschedular TDIU rating under 38 C.F.R. § 4.16(b).

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the evidence is in approximate balance as to whether these conditions are related to the Veteran's military service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, PPD to include residuals, and liver disability as secondary to PPD have all been denied. The Board found no current disabilities meeting the criteria for service connection in each case.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for right ear hearing loss was dismissed as he withdrew the claim during a Board hearing.

The Board granted service connection for post-traumatic inflammatory nodule on dorsum of left hand, tinnitus, bilateral hearing loss, and scar to left hand with specific disability ratings. The past-due benefits awarded in the June 2019 rating decision are not paid due to a statutory impediment.

Service connection is granted for right ear sensorineural hearing loss, left ear sensorineural hearing loss, and tinnitus.,Service connection is denied for unspecified depressive disorder, right ankle degenerative arthritis, left ankle degenerative arthritis, right knee osteoarthritis status post total replacement, left knee osteoarthritis status post meniscal tear repair, right hip degenerative arthritis, left hip degenerative arthritis and femoral acetabular impingement syndrome, right wrist degenerative arthritis, left wrist degenerative arthritis, right shoulder acromioclavicular osteoarthritis and rotator cuff tear status post total replacement, left shoulder acromioclavicular osteoarthritis, right lateral epicondylitis, left lateral epicondylitis, neck pain, lumbar spine DJD, spinal stenosis, degenerative disc disease (DDD), lumbosacral strain, and radiculopathy.,Service connection is denied for coronary artery disease, atrial fibrillation, and hypertensive heart disease.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for increased rating for bilateral hearing loss and TDIU.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development, including obtaining a radiation dose estimate and scheduling a VA examination to determine if the Veteran currently has bilateral hearing loss.

The reduction of the rating for bilateral hearing loss from 20 percent to noncompensable was improper, and the prior 20 percent rating is reinstated.

The Veteran's service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II, to include as due to exposure to herbicide agents is granted. However, the Veteran's initial rating for bilateral hearing loss remains denied.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development due to insufficient evidence and need for additional examinations.

The Board has granted reopening of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, and has also granted service connection for these conditions. The decision is based on the Veteran's exposure to hazardous noise during service and his competent and credible report.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus is denied as there is no evidence of a current disability meeting VA criteria.,Service connection for tinnitus is also denied due to lack of in-service onset or relationship to service. The Board finds the Veteran's lay statements regarding continuity are less probative than other evidence.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for tinnitus, bilateral hearing loss, Parkinson's Disease, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), hypertension, and diabetes mellitus due to incomplete VA treatment records and insufficient opinions regarding the nature and etiology of his claimed conditions.

The Veteran's service-connected prostate cancer with urinary incontinence, along with other disabilities, has rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation. The Board granted his TDIU claim.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for right ear hearing loss as there is no current disability meeting VA criteria for a hearing loss condition.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability and tinnitus have been remanded due to the need for a VA examination.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to his reported disabilities, including bilateral elbow conditions and low back pain. The cases are being returned for further development and consideration.