Hearing loss decisions — 2023

The Veteran's service connection claims for left knee, left hip, right hip, hernia, bilateral hearing loss, and psychiatric disability (PTSD) have been granted.

The Veteran's claims for right ear hearing loss and bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy were granted. The remaining issues are remanded due to insufficient evidence.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss does not warrant a compensable rating, and has remanded for further development regarding his increased rating claim for ischemic heart disease.

The Board has granted service connection for right ear hearing loss, finding that the Veteran's current condition is at least as likely as not related to his active-duty service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to various issues, including asbestos exposure and its relation to sarcoidosis, as well as his bilateral ankle disabilities and hearing loss. The VA is directed to conduct further development in these areas.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment as of June 1, 2017. Basic eligibility for Dependents' Educational Assistance under 38 U.S.C. Chapter 35 is established effective as of June 1, 2017.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for right ear hearing loss, finding that his current condition is related to in-service noise exposure and resolving doubt in his favor.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for his service-connected bilateral hearing loss, finding that the earliest date is April 18, 2019. The Veteran did not provide new and material evidence within one year of the denial or argue clear and unmistakable error in a prior rating decision.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for service connection of bilateral hearing loss, leading to its dismissal.

The Board has granted increased ratings for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Bilateral Hearing Loss, effective October 4, 2023. The past-due benefits resulting from these decisions are now eligible for attorney fees.

The Board has granted service connection for right ear hearing loss. The Veteran's current left ear hearing loss is at least as likely as not related to his military noise exposure.,All other claims, including those for back disability, left ear hearing loss, depression (secondary to service-connected disabilities), left hand and right hand disabilities, sleep apnea (undiagnosed illness and/or medically unexplained chronic multi symptom illness due to exposure to environmental hazards during the Persian Gulf War) and secondary to service-connected disabilities, right hip disability, left hip disability, right knee disability, and left knee disability, are remanded for further development.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss is rated at zero percent, as the audiometric test results do not meet the criteria for a compensable rating.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that there was no evidence of a hearing loss disability for VA purposes at any time during or approximate to his claim.

The Veteran's claim for a nonservice-connected pension is being remanded due to the need for additional evidence and examination.

The Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were granted. The claim for a right wrist disorder is remanded due to an error in the previous VA opinion.

The Board has remanded the case due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error and will provide the Veteran with proper notice of his right to a hearing before readjudicating the claims.

The Veteran's left ear hearing loss disability is not rated higher than noncompensable. The psychiatric disability claim requires a VA examination to determine its etiology.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings and an earlier effective date were withdrawn, resulting in the dismissal of all claims.

The Veteran's initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss was denied as his hearing acuity did not meet the criteria for a higher rating.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions regarding the relationship between his lumbar disability and right knee disability, as well as his lower extremity radiculopathy.