Hearing loss decisions — 2023

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability has been rated at 30 percent for the period as of October 18, 2022; 40 percent for the period from May 18, 2020, to October 17, 2022; and 10 percent prior to May 18, 2020. The Board has determined that remand is necessary due to conflicting evidence.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, bilateral ankle disability, and left shoulder disability due to a lack of evidence showing these conditions were incurred or aggravated by military service.

The Board has determined that more development is necessary for the claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss, left shoulder disability, right knee disability, left knee disability, right ankle disability, left ankle disability, and left wrist disability. The Veteran's current complaints and treatment records are insufficient to resolve these claims.

The Board denied the Veteran's request to revise a July 2010 rating decision denying service connection for bilateral hearing loss due to CUE, finding that the correct facts were not before the RO at the time of the original decision and that the law was correctly applied.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that his condition is related to his military service and resolving reasonable doubt in his favor.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for lumbosacral strain, right shoulder disability, and bilateral hearing loss are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations to assess current severity.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient opinions regarding the Veteran's hearing loss and its relation to service, noise exposure, or other conditions.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is not related to his military service and denied his claim for service connection.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss does not warrant a compensable rating during any portion of the appeal period.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, TBI, and noncardiac chest disability manifested by pain due to lack of evidence showing current disabilities related to these conditions. The Veteran's failure to attend scheduled VA examinations without good cause resulted in denial of the claims.

The Veteran's initial claim for a higher rating for migraines including migraine variants with atypical migraines has been denied. The disability is currently rated as 50 percent, but the Veteran seeks an increase.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been remanded due to the need for additional development and examination. The issues include bilateral hearing loss, alcohol use disorder, erectile dysfunction, gout, sleep disorders, low back disability, neck disability, peripheral neuropathy in various extremities, restless leg syndrome, left knee disability, psychiatric disability, shoulder disabilities, pes planus with neuroma and plantar fasciitis, left foot disability post-surgery, and right knee meniscal tear.

The Board has remanded several claims related to the Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including lumbar spine disability, right shoulder disability, left shoulder disability, hypertension, left hip disability, left knee disability, and bilateral hearing loss. The AOJ is instructed to consider all additional evidence since the last decision in April 2019 and issue a supplemental statement of the case if necessary.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral sensorineural hearing loss, finding that there is no evidence of chronic symptoms during service and insufficient evidence to link current hearing loss to military noise exposure.

The Board has remanded the issue of service connection for bilateral hearing loss due to inadequate reasoning and lack of substantial compliance with previous remand directives.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's hearing loss and its relation to service. The claim will be reviewed again with new medical opinions.

The Board has remanded several service connection claims due to the need for additional records from Social Security Administration (SSA). The appellant is the surviving spouse of the Veteran who served in active military from October 1962 to December 1964.

The Veteran's claims for residuals of radiation exposure, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus were denied. The Board found no evidence of ionizing radiation exposure during service and thus could not grant service connection based on that basis. For the tinnitus claim, the Veteran reported in-service noise exposure which was sufficient to establish a link with his current condition.

The Veteran's right hearing loss is granted service connection. The Veteran's diabetes mellitus, erectile dysfunction, and diabetic peripheral neuropathies are not rated higher than the current assigned ratings. The Veteran's diabetic retinopathy and CAD are granted increased ratings.

The Board has granted service connection for a lumbar spine disability and remanded the issue of service connection for bilateral hearing loss.