Hearing loss decisions — 2023

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus have been granted service connection. The Veteran's bladder cancer residuals are rated at 10% from October 27, 2015 to May 23, 2018, and a rating of 60% is granted for the period starting May 24, 2018. Other issues have been remanded.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bipolar disorder and lichen planus was granted. The claim for a compensable disability rating for bilateral hearing loss was denied.

The Board has remanded the claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to insufficient opinions regarding in-service noise exposure. The Veteran's service connection claims are pending.

The Veteran's initial claim for a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss was denied. The appeal for a rating in excess of 10 percent from November 19, 2019, for bilateral hearing loss was also denied.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the failure of a VA examination. The issues include back disability, hearing loss, mental health disabilities (PTSD, depression, anxiety), and allergy.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation effective April 1, 2018.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was denied for ratings prior to May 2, 2016, and on or after that date. The Board found the evidence did not meet the criteria for a compensable rating prior to May 2, 2016, and a rating in excess of 10 percent on and after May 2, 2016.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that it is etiologically related to service.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a bilateral foot condition, bilateral hearing loss, and left shoulder condition due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Veteran's service connection for a respiratory disability is denied, and his right ear hearing loss is granted. The appeals for other conditions are remanded.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that both conditions had their onset during active duty service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is remanded due to the inadequacy of the October 2019 VA examination. The claim for service connection for myositis remains denied.,Service connection cannot be established as there is no evidence of an in-service injury or disease, and the current disability does not meet the criteria for presumptive service connection.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board granted service connection for a right shoulder condition, but denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and bilateral tinnitus.,Service connection was not established for the Veteran's claimed sleep disorder.

The Board has decided that the issue of service connection for bilateral hearing loss should be remanded due to new evidence being added to the claims file since the last SSOC.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are due to noise exposure during his military service.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss does not meet the criteria for service connection as her auditory thresholds do not exceed the threshold established by applicable laws and regulations for hearing loss for VA purposes.,The Veteran's current diagnoses of left ankle arthritis and right ankle tendonitis are less likely than not related to her service-connected left knee disability. The Board finds the August 2020 VA examination highly probative in this regard.,Service connection is denied as there is no evidence that the bilateral ankle disorders are due to or aggravated by the Veteran's service-connected left knee disability.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss should be remanded due to insufficient evidence in the claims file, specifically regarding the reliability of the audiometric test results from his past examinations.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence regarding whether the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss disability is causally related to service. The Veteran contends that his in-service exposure to loud noises and ear problems contributed to his current condition.

The Veteran's initial compensable evaluation for bilateral hearing loss prior to April 15, 2019 is denied.,The Veteran's claim of service connection for obstructive sleep apnea and TDIU prior to April 15, 2019 are remanded.