Hearing loss decisions — 2023

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to a need for additional medical inquiry.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was found to be noncompensable prior to November 7, 2018 and a rating in excess of 40 percent from that date is also denied.

The Veteran's left ear hearing loss disability is remanded for a VA examination to determine its current severity.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's tinnitus, left ankle disability (including bilateral hearing loss and right ankle disorder), and earlier effective date for service connection for a left ankle disability need to be remanded for further development. The Veteran's claims of service connection are being addressed.

The Board has denied service connection for left ear hearing loss, right ear hearing loss, and a respiratory disability. The low back disability claim is remanded for further evaluation.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have not prevented him from securing and following substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran does not have left ear hearing loss for VA purposes.,Right ear hearing loss did not have its onset in active service and is not otherwise related to an in-service injury or disease.,Tinnitus did not have its onset in active service and is not otherwise related to an in-service injury or disease.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's preexisting bilateral hearing loss was aggravated during his service, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for service connection were denied. The Board found that the earliest date available for each award is September 26, 2018, the date on which he filed his initial claims for service connection.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, atrial fibrillation, bilateral plantar fasciitis, PTSD, and hypothyroidism have all been denied.,There is no current diagnosis of any of these conditions in the record.

The Veteran's claims for earlier effective date, service connection for erectile dysfunction, status post right ear drum perforation, and bilateral hearing loss are remanded due to outstanding private treatment records and conflicting medical evidence.

The Veteran's right hip disorder, genitourinary disorder other than erectile dysfunction (epididymo-orchitis), nasal disorder, and several musculoskeletal conditions are remanded for further development.,Service connection for the Veteran's claimed conditions is being remanded due to insufficient evidence linking them to service exposure or service-connected disabilities. Further examination and opinion may be necessary under recent changes in law related to toxic exposure claims.

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

The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for service-connected hearing loss was denied, and the issue of entitlement to service connection for dizziness was dismissed as moot due to the grant of service connection in a separate decision.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus is granted. The Board finds that the Veteran has a current diagnosis of tinnitus and it is related to his in-service noise exposure, thus meeting all elements of service connection. For bilateral hearing loss, the Veteran's claim is remanded as there was no audiometric testing provided by VA.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for tremors and muscle twitches, left ear hearing loss, allergies, eustachian tube dysfunction (claimed as equilibrium), right ear hearing loss, tinnitus, and migraines are all denied.,Additional evidence is needed to support the Veteran's claims of service connection for these conditions.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate medical opinions regarding the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss. The claim will be further evaluated with new evidence and a proper examination.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are linked to in-service noise exposure. The decision is based on the Veteran's credible lay statements of in-service noise exposure and continuous symptoms.

The Veteran's service connection claim for a disability of the cervical spine is granted. The Board finds that it is at least as likely as not related to his duties as a KC-135 refueling boom operator during his military service.

The Veteran's right lower extremity radiculopathy is granted an initial rating of 20 percent, but no higher. The left lower extremity radiculopathy and bilateral hearing loss are denied initial ratings.