Hearing loss decisions — 2023

The Board has granted a TDIU due to the combined effects of the Veteran's service-connected coronary artery disease and hearing loss disabilities, including resultant dizziness and imbalance, rendering him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's claims for dental, bilateral hearing loss, low back, right knee, and left knee disabilities have been denied as there is no evidence of a current disability or that any are related to service.,There is no evidence of a current bilateral hearing loss disability for VA purposes during the appeal period. The Veteran has not provided sufficient evidence to establish a current disability.,The Board finds no evidence of a current low back, right knee, or left knee disability in the record and concludes that these claims are denied as there is insufficient evidence to support their existence.,,

The Veteran's tinnitus is granted as service connected. The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss claim is remanded for further examination and opinion.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to errors in obtaining medical nexus opinions regarding whether the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disabilities are related to service. The decision will consider evidence of record at the time of the June 2022 rating decision.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right ear hearing loss is related to in-service hazardous noise exposure and grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is related to her active service and grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's arthritis of the bilateral feet, low back pain, right knee pain, osteoarthritis of the left shoulder, and bilateral hearing loss were all granted service connection as they are considered direct service-connected disabilities.,Service connection was established for these conditions based on their onset during periods of active duty.

The Board denied the claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus because new and relevant evidence was not submitted to support these claims.

The Veteran's initial claim for an increased rating for bilateral hearing loss was denied prior to May 11, 2023. However, a 30 percent rating but no greater is granted beginning May 11, 2023.,The issue of entitlement to TDIU has been remanded due to insufficient information in the record.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for right knee disability is granted, with the condition being diagnosed as right knee strain and retropatellar pain syndrome. The claim was reopened due to new evidence submitted.,Service connection for tinnitus is granted based on the Veteran's in-service noise exposure during his military service.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to address the Veteran's claims for service connection and evaluation of his acquired psychiatric disorder, residuals of a concussion, erectile dysfunction, and bilateral hearing loss. The VA will attempt to schedule examinations and obtain any outstanding medical records.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD is granted. The appeals for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are dismissed.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus. The cases of bilateral hearing loss, left knee condition, and pseudofolliculitis barbae are remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development due to the Veteran's failure to report for scheduled VA examinations. The issues of a rating in excess of 40 percent for bilateral sensorineural hearing loss and entitlement to TDIU are now pending.

The appeal of whether new and material evidence has been received to reopen a claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is dismissed.,Service connection for a back disorder, neck disorder, right elbow disorder, left elbow disorder, and OSA are denied.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, hypertension, PTSD, bilateral ankle disability, bilateral hearing loss, and pain and swelling of the left leg have been dismissed as moot due to prior grants of service connection.,Service connection has been granted for bilateral hearing loss.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's pre-existing conditions were aggravated by his military service.,Service connection is also granted for a lower back condition, but the specific details of this decision are not provided in the given text.

The Board has decided to remand the claims for service connection for lower back disorder, left lower extremity sciatica, and right ear hearing loss due to incomplete development of the record.

The Veteran's initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss prior to September 25, 2019, is denied as his hearing loss has not manifested by worse than Level II in the right ear and Level I in the left ear.

The Veteran's tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss are both at least as likely as not related to in-service noise exposure. The Veteran's pes planus, left trapezius disability, and hypertension have not been found with current evidence of a diagnosis.,Entitlement to service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD is remanded.