Hearing loss decisions — 2023

The Board has remanded the cases for further examination and opinion regarding the Veteran's hearing loss and tinnitus, as there is conflicting evidence on whether these conditions are related to service.

The Veteran's application to reopen the claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is granted.,Entitlement to an effective date prior to November 2, 2017, for the grant of service connection for PTSD is denied.

The Board has denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and remanded the claim for back disability. The decision on hearing loss is due to lack of in-service noise exposure leading to current bilateral hearing loss, while the back disability issue requires additional medical opinion considering the Veteran's lay statements.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that the Veteran's current condition is related to noise exposure during his active military service.

The Veteran's claim for specially adapted housing and/or special home adaptation is remanded due to the need for a medical opinion on whether his service-connected disabilities are causing significant mobility issues, including right foot drop and difficulty walking.

The Veteran's claim for a total disability evaluation based on individual unemployability (TDIU) is granted as of January 27, 2014. The decision was based on his service-connected disabilities and the fact that he has been unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment due to these conditions.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine, right and left lower extremity radiculopathy, tinnitus, and bilateral hearing loss, have prevented him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation since May 18, 2010. The Board has granted TDIU effective from that date.

The Board has remanded the issues of entitlement to a compensable initial rating for bilateral hearing loss and service connection for a respiratory condition, including COPD. The Veteran's claim for COPD is remanded due to inadequate rationale in the VA examination.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied because the evidence does not show current hearing impairment as defined by VA standards.

The Board denied the requests for an earlier effective date for a 100 percent rating for Meniere's syndrome with hearing loss and basic eligibility for Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA) benefits, as there was no evidence of a factually ascertainable increase in disability during the one-year period prior to the Veteran's claim.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have resulted in a combined evaluation of 90 percent, which meets the criteria for TDIU from November 15, 2022 onwards.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was rated at 20 percent prior to July 17, 2020 and increased to 80 percent from July 17, 2020 to July 2, 2021.

The Board has remanded several service connection claims due to the need for VA examinations and medical nexus opinions, including those related to sinusitis, bilateral hearing loss, low back condition, right lower extremity radiculopathy (sciatica), residuals of a shoulder injury, and migraine headaches. The claims are being returned for further evaluation.

The Veteran's hearing loss disability is currently rated as 10 percent disabling for the period prior to January 17, 2017, and 20 percent disabling from that date. The Board finds a remand necessary due to outstanding VA treatment records.

The Board dismissed all appeals for service connection due to the appellant's death.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings have been granted. Service connection is established for sinusitis, lumbosacral degenerative disc disease with IVDS, left lower extremity sciatic radiculopathy, right lower extremity sciatic radiculopathy, and bilateral hearing loss. The initial 40 percent rating for lumbosacral degenerative disc disease with IVDS is maintained, as are the initial 40 percent ratings for left and right lower extremity sciatic radiculopathies effective April 8, 2022. Tinnitus remains at a maximum of 10 percent. Service connection has been reopened for left foot disability, right foot disability, and bilateral hearing loss.

The Veteran's service-connected headache disorder is granted, and his PTSD is granted with a disability rating of 50 percent prior to June 2016 and 70 percent thereafter. The initial ratings for shin fractures and bilateral hearing loss are also granted.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus do not render him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment, thus his claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) is denied.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient consideration of the Veteran's National Guard service and noise exposure claims for left ear hearing loss.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for hypertension, right knee disability, left knee disability, iron deficiency anemia, bilateral hearing loss disability, and endometrial polyp disability due to incomplete service treatment records and a need for updated medical opinions.