Hearing loss decisions — 2023

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss, onychomycosis, and migraine headaches. The conditions are deemed to be related to military service.

Service connection for tinnitus is granted.,Entitlement to service connection for a bilateral hearing loss disability, to include as secondary to diabetes mellitus (diabetes), is remanded.,Entitlement to service connection for cirrhosis of the liver, to include as secondary to service-connected gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and peptic ulcer disease (hereinafter GERD) and/or as secondary diabetes, is remanded.,Entitlement to service connection for diabetes, to include as due to herbicide agent and pesticide / insecticide exposure, is remanded.,Entitlement to service connection for a nerve disorder, to include as due to radiation exposure, herbicide agent exposure, and pesticide / insecticide exposure, and/or secondary to diabetes, is remanded.,Entitlement to service connection for a respiratory disorder, to include residuals of a pulmonary embolism, to include as secondary to diabetes, is remanded.,Entitlement to service connection for right lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, to include as due to herbicide agent and pesticide / insecticide exposure and/or a secondary to diabetes, is remanded.,Entitlement to service connection for left lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, to include as due to herbicide agent and pesticide / insecticide exposure and/or as secondary to diabetes, is remanded.

The Board has remanded the cases for additional development, including obtaining medical opinions regarding the nature and etiology of the Veteran's claimed left lower extremity vascular disability and right and left sided body pain. The TDIU claim prior to October 5, 2016 is also being referred for extraschedular consideration.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate medical opinions regarding the Veteran's left ear hearing loss, which is presumed to be related to service noise exposure.

The Board has remanded the claim for a compensable disability rating for bilateral hearing loss due to incomplete audiogram records and unassociated VA treatment records. The case will be readjudicated based on all available evidence.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are related to his active service.,Service connection was also granted for a right shoulder condition, with the Board finding it is related to an injury sustained during service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for problems sleeping with alcoholism and bilateral hearing loss have been denied as there is no current disability found to meet the criteria for these conditions.

The Veteran's tinnitus has been granted service connection, as the evidence is in equipoise regarding its relationship to his active duty service.,Service connection for bilateral hearing loss was denied due to a lack of audiometric testing meeting VA criteria.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability is being remanded due to the need for additional medical records, particularly from an ENT specialist. The VA will request these records and obtain an audiological opinion to address discrepancies in audiometric findings.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that the Veteran's current hearing loss disability is at least as likely as not related to in-service acoustic trauma.

The Veteran's tinnitus was granted service connection. The Board found that the Veteran's tinnitus began in service and has continued since then.,Diabetes mellitus is remanded for additional examination and review of private treatment records.

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

The Board has remanded several issues including the evaluation for PTSD, a compensable evaluation for bilateral hearing loss, service connection for bilateral knee and hip conditions, and TDIU. The AOJ must review the newly added VA treatment records.

The Board has remanded the case due to inconsistencies in the January 2013 VA examination and the need for a new opinion regarding the nature and etiology of the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was evaluated as Level 1 in both ears, resulting in a non-compensable rating. The Board found that the evidence did not support higher ratings and denied the claim for a compensable rating.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development, including obtaining National Guard treatment records and VA medical opinions regarding his claimed disabilities. The claims are not currently decided.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that there is no evidence of in-service noise exposure or chronic disability during service. The Board also found that any current hearing loss and tinnitus are not related to service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, diabetes, bilateral upper and lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, and bilateral hearing loss due to incomplete development.

The Veteran's service connection claims for bilateral tinnitus, bilateral hearing loss, and arthritis and degenerative disc disease of the thoracolumbar spine have been granted. The case has been remanded for additional development regarding his service connection claim for bilateral hearing loss.

The Veteran's hypertension, diagnosed as major depressive disorder, and bilateral hearing loss are all granted service connection.,There is no indication of a specific exposure basis for any of the conditions.