Hearing loss decisions — 2023

The Veteran's current left knee disability is related to his active service. The Board has granted service connection for residuals of a left knee injury.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and denied service connection for tinnitus. Bilateral hearing loss is found to be related to service, while tinnitus is not.

The Veteran's appeal for bilateral inguinal hernia repair was dismissed as the Veteran explicitly requested withdrawal.,The Veteran's appeal for an initial rating higher than 10 percent for tinnitus was also dismissed as the Veteran and his representative withdrew the appeal.

The Board has denied service connection for cervical spine condition, right knee condition, left wrist condition, right shoulder condition, and left shoulder condition. The Veteran's other conditions have been rated based on their current severity.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and diabetes mellitus, including as due to in-service exposure to an herbicide agent.,For bilateral hearing loss, the Board found that there was no evidence of a current disability related to active service. For diabetes mellitus, the Board concluded that there was no evidence linking it to active service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for any ear disability, including hearing loss, tinnitus, and vertigo; and hypertension. The reasons include a lack of complete STRs and personnel records, as well as outstanding VA treatment records.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for back pain, hearing loss, and tinnitus have been reopened due to the submission of new and material evidence. The claim for service connection for tinnitus is granted.,The claims for service connection for back pain and hearing loss are remanded as additional information or medical examination may be needed to determine their etiology.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are remanded due to the need for further medical examination and opinion regarding her claimed bilateral hearing loss, vision disability, left knee condition, right knee condition, low back condition, left hip condition, and right hip condition.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for hyperlipidemia, bilateral plantar fasciitis, and bilateral hearing loss have been denied as there is no evidence of a current disability or in-service incurrence.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is currently rated as noncompensable, and the Board finds no evidence of worsening during the appeal period.,For his bilateral foot disorder and cervical spine disorder, additional VA examination opinions are needed to address the functional impact of the conditions.

The Veteran's claim for bilateral hearing loss was denied due to failure to report for a necessary examination.,Her right ankle disability is rated at 10 percent, but the Board found that her functional impairment did not warrant a higher rating.

The Board has granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The appeal regarding earlier effective dates and disability ratings for tinnitus, left ear hearing loss, and right ear hearing loss is dismissed.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to insufficient development of records and examination opinions. The AOJ is instructed to obtain additional National Guard service records, particularly from May 1968 to April 1972, and schedule new VA examinations to address the etiology of the claimed conditions.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is currently rated as noncompensable, and the Board finds that a compensable rating is not warranted.,The Veteran's service-connected left lower extremity residuals of gunshot wound affecting Muscle Group XI are currently rated as 20 percent disabling. The Board has determined that a higher rating is not warranted based on the evidence of record.

The Veteran's appeal for an initial compensable rating for his service-connected bilateral hearing loss is remanded due to the need for a VA examination to assess the current severity of his disability.

The Board has remanded the case due to a lack of proper representation, and the Veteran's hearing loss rating is still pending.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including a new VA examination to assess the severity of the Veteran's service-connected allergic rhinitis and for completion of forms related to his TDIU claim.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and granted TDIU for the period from February 7, 2018 to May 31, 2018.

The Board has decided to remand the cases for additional development due to new VA treatment records and examinations not being considered in previous decisions.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence for service connection of cervical spine disability, specifically whether it is secondary to a service-connected lumbar spine disability. The Veteran's claim for bilateral hearing loss remains denied as new and material evidence was not received.