Hearing loss decisions — 2023

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and GERD disabilities are granted, with a rating of 30 percent. The left elbow disability is granted but at the maximum allowable rating (10%). Other issues remain pending.

The Board denied service connection for rheumatoid arthritis, left knee disability, and right ear hearing loss. The Veteran's right ear hearing loss is as likely as not related to his active duty service.

The Veteran's initial ratings for tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss have been denied as the evidence does not show symptomatology that is not contemplated by the rating criteria.,For the appeal period from February 12, 2018, to August 3, 2020, the Veteran has not met the requirements for a TDIU due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including bilateral hearing loss and other conditions such as right shoulder, bilateral pes planus, positional vertigo, tinnitus, right elbow, right knee, hiatal hernia, have rendered him unemployable. The Board has granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU).

The Veteran seeks an earlier effective date for adding his child I.L. and spouse E. as dependents to his VA disability compensation award, but the Board finds that no such effective date is warranted.,VA denied recognition of E. as the Veteran's dependent spouse due to incomplete information provided by the Veteran regarding his marital history.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities prior to September 19, 2019. The evidence did not support the claim of bilateral hearing loss being related to military service.

The Veteran's appeal includes multiple issues related to his service-connected conditions, including left hip trochanteric pain syndrome, PTSD, bilateral hearing loss, and left knee patellofemoral syndrome. The AOJ is directed to obtain additional VA treatment records from the Washington D.C. VAMC and any relevant private treatment records before readjudicating these issues.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were denied as they did not manifest in or shortly after service, did not involve continuity of symptomatology from service to diagnosis, and are otherwise unrelated to service.,The Veteran's current tinnitus was also denied as it did not involve continuity of symptomatology from service to diagnosis.

The Veteran's hearing loss is being remanded for a new VA examination to assess the current severity of his condition.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for abnormal menstrual cycle, hearing loss, right leg disorder, left leg disorder, lumbar muscle strain and degenerative arthritis (also known as osteoarthritis or degenerative joint disease), and pelvic muscle spasms due to mild diastasis of the pubic symphysis have been dismissed. The Veteran's claims for service connection for these conditions are all granted.,The Veteran's hearing loss, right leg disorder, and left leg disorder were previously denied but new evidence has now reopened these claims.

The Veteran's claim for lumbar spine degenerative disc disease secondary to service-connected bilateral foot disabilities has been granted. The claims for right and left ankle disabilities, as well as bilateral hearing loss, have been remanded.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation, and the Board has granted total disability ratings based on individual unemployability due to these conditions.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for right ear hearing loss is denied. The Board has remanded the claims for lumbar back strain, right ankle residual status-post fracture, PTSD, complex cyst right kidney, and left ear hearing loss.

The Board granted an initial evaluation of 10 percent for a scar of the right knee, denied service connection for hearing loss, and granted service connection for tinnitus. The Veteran's tinnitus is related to his in-service noise exposure.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that there is not an approximate balance of positive and negative evidence to establish a nexus between his current hearing loss and military service.

The Board has denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, back disability (claimed as back pain), left hip disability (claimed as left hip pain), right hip disability (claimed as right hip pain), left foot disability (claimed as left foot cramps), and right foot disability (claimed as right foot cramps) due to lack of evidence of a current disability in service or related to military service.

The Veteran's claims of service connection for various disabilities are being remanded due to the need for further development and examination.

The Board has remanded the case due to errors in its decision regarding the adequacy of a VA medical examination and the Veteran's argument about an Institute of Medicine study.

The Board denied service connection for a left arm disability and remanded the issue of service connection for bilateral hearing loss due to lack of sufficient evidence regarding long-term noise-induced hearing loss.

The Veteran's claim for right ear hearing loss was reopened and granted service connection.,The Veteran's claim for left ear hearing loss was not reopened.