Hearing loss decisions — 2023

The Board has determined that additional development is necessary for the Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and bladder cancer. The claims are being remanded to allow for further examination and opinion.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was initially rated at 0 percent and increased to 40 percent effective September 30, 2020. The initial rating for left lower extremity radiculopathy prior to November 17, 2020, is granted at 20 percent; the initial rating for right lower extremity radiculopathy prior to that date remains denied.

The Veteran's claims for obstructive sleep apnea, bilateral hearing loss, and urticaria have been remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations and evidence collection.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for right knee disability, respiratory disorder, and bilateral hearing loss due to additional development being needed.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are granted service connection as secondary to his existing hearing loss. The back disability, bilateral leg disability, cataracts, and aching hair on the head are denied due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to service.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the etiology of the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss. A new VA medical opinion is needed to determine if the condition began during service or was caused by it.

The Veteran's initial compensable rating for right ear hearing loss is denied.,The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for his right little finger disability is denied.,Service connection for left ear hearing loss is denied.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for Degenerative Disc Disease (DDD) of the lumbar spine is granted. The claims for service connection for Left ear hearing loss and Right ear hearing loss are remanded.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's symptoms are related to his active military service due to noise exposure.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's hearing loss during service and its current condition.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete development of audiometric data from QUASAR.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and other conditions were denied in a final November 2005 rating decision. The claims were reopened based on new and material evidence submitted after March 31, 2015, but the effective date remains unchanged as it is not earlier than March 31, 2015.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and granted it. Service connection for multiple sclerosis is also granted, but the issues of service connection for seronegative rheumatoid arthritis and bilateral toe fungus are remanded due to insufficient evidence.

The Board has determined that further examination and opinion are needed to address the Veteran's claims for service connection for a heart disorder, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus. The issues of secondary service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder have also been remanded.

The Veteran's claims for hearing loss, neck disability, left and right ankle disabilities, left and right hip disabilities, sleep disturbances, and mental disorder are all being remanded due to insufficient evidence of current disabilities or causation.

The Veteran meets the criteria for a certificate of eligibility in purchasing an automobile and adaptive equipment due to permanent loss of use of his lower extremities from service-connected disabilities.

The Board has remanded the claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to a duty to assist error, specifically regarding the Veteran's failure to report an April 2022 audiology examination. The AOJ should consider whether there is other evidence indicating a current disability and attempt to ascertain if the examiner used the Maryland CNC word list.

The Board has granted service connection for left ear hearing loss and denied an initial compensable rating for right ear hearing loss. The decision is based on the Veteran's in-service noise exposure, but does not establish a direct link between his current hearing loss and service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hearing loss, diagnosed as bilateral hearing loss, is at least as likely as not related to his military service. As a result, the claim for service connection for hearing loss is granted.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hearing loss, diagnosed as bilateral hearing loss, is at least as likely as not related to his military service. As a result, the claim for service connection for hearing loss is granted.