Hearing loss decisions — 2023

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss, DDD of the lumbar spine, and bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy secondary to now service-connected DDD of the lumbar spine.,Reasons: The Veteran's claims were based on direct evidence of in-service injury or disease. Service connection was granted due to the Veteran's credible lay statements regarding his symptoms and the VA examiners' opinions supporting a link between his current conditions and service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus was granted. Service connection was also established for major depressive disorder, persistent depressive disorder, and trauma-related disorder. The Veteran's back disability is now rated at 40 percent from January 24, 2022.

The Board has remanded the cases for additional development and medical opinions to address conflicting evidence regarding the nature and etiology of the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and lung conditions.

The Veteran's disability rating for bilateral hearing loss was reduced from 60 percent to 0 percent effective February 10, 2017. The Board has restored the 60 percent rating as of that date.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the evidence supports a link between these conditions and the Veteran's in-service noise exposure.

Service connection is granted for diabetes mellitus, type II (DM), a heart disorder (IHD, CHF, and CAD), right leg ulcers, left leg ulcers, bilateral hearing loss, and peripheral neuropathy of the right upper extremity.,Service connection is denied for a left ankle disorder, a right ankle disorder, and a left hand disorder.

The Board has requested that all outstanding treatment records from the Martinsburg VA Medical Center and associated outpatient clinics be obtained. The Veteran also indicated she received audiological care at Miracle Ear in Waynesboro, Pennsylvania, but was unable to obtain these records herself. These records must be obtained on remand.

The Veteran's service connection claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are granted on a substitution basis due to his death. The Board found that the Veteran's hearing loss was related to military noise exposure, and his tinnitus is considered a symptom of his now-service-connected hearing loss.

The Board has granted service connection for TBI and remanded the issues of bilateral hearing loss, sleep apnea, and an increased rating for PTSD prior to August 11, 2019. The Veteran's claims are being returned for further development.

The Board has remanded the case due to an inadequate VA examination, and a new addendum opinion is needed to determine if the Veteran's right ear hearing loss is related to service.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus but has remanded the issue of service connection for bilateral hearing loss due to conflicting evidence.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus is granted. The Board finds that the Veteran has a current diagnosis of tinnitus and credible assertions of noise exposure in service, leading to a finding of service connection. For bilateral hearing loss, the case is remanded as there are inconsistencies with the VA examiner's opinion regarding the presence of threshold shifts at separation from service.

The Veteran's claim for a TDIU prior to January 24, 2022 is remanded as the evidence suggests he may be entitled to an extraschedular rating due to his service-connected disabilities preventing him from securing and following a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal of the right ankle disability claim and the hearing loss disability claim is remanded for further examination.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss warrants a noncompensable evaluation, and has remanded for further action on his foot fungus claim.

The Veteran's lichen simplex chronicus is now rated at 60 percent, effective September 30, 2014. His hearing loss remains noncompensable.

The Board has denied the petitions to reopen previously denied claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and bilateral eye disorder as new and material evidence was not received.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for right and left knee disorders, as well as hearing loss. The Veteran's lumbar spine disorder is denied due to lack of evidence linking it to service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including schizophrenia, pseudomotor cerebri with residual seizure disorder, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus, rendered him unable to obtain or maintain substantially gainful employment.

The Board has decided that the Veteran does not have a current left ear hearing loss disability for VA purposes and denied service connection. The back disability issue is remanded due to insufficient rationale in the previous opinion.