Hearing loss decisions — 2023

The Board denied service connection for left ear hearing loss and a higher initial rating for right ear hearing loss, finding that the Veteran's current hearing loss did not manifest during or within one year after service separation.

The Veteran was found unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment due to service-connected PTSD prior to February 25, 2022.

A rating in excess of 50 percent for PTSD has been withdrawn.,Service connection for asthma, a respiratory disorder, is granted under the PACT Act. Service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are denied.,The Veteran's kidney stones are presumed to have been incurred in service due to the PACT Act.

The Veteran's appeal for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for right ear hearing loss has been denied.,The Veteran's appeal for a compensable rating for maxilla bone loss with including tooth #8, tooth #9 loss is remanded due to the need for additional development.

The Veteran has withdrawn his appeal for service connection and increased ratings for various conditions, leaving no issues to be decided by the Board.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating prior to August 11, 2022, and in excess of 20 percent thereafter for bilateral hearing loss is denied. The Board found that the evidence did not meet the criteria for a higher rating due to stable symptomatology.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to incomplete records and need for additional examinations. The issues include left shoulder, right shoulder, right ankle, stress disorder, GERD disability, cervical spine disability, bilateral hearing loss disability, and keratosis.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus on a presumptive basis due to continuous symptoms since service separation. Service connection for bilateral hearing loss was denied as the evidence does not support direct service connection or a finding of continuity of symptomatology.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus have been remanded due to the need for additional development, including verification of periods of active duty, ACDUTRA, and INACDUTRA in the Ohio Army National Guard.

The Board has remanded several issues, including service connection for tinnitus and migraines, sleep apnea as secondary to sinusitis, hypertension, diabetes mellitus type II, erectile dysfunction, and bilateral hearing loss. The effective dates remain pending.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) due to his service-connected disabilities not preventing him from securing and maintaining substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, prostate cyst, and hypertension have been remanded due to insufficient evidence. The Board requested additional development including new VA examinations and opinions.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a total disability based on individual unemployability (TDIU) as his combined rating of service-connected disabilities has been at least 100 percent throughout the appeal period, and he was not found to be unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation due to his service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and an acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD) has been denied. The effective date for the award of a 10 percent rating for tinnitus is also denied.,Service connection for bilateral hearing loss was not granted due to lack of evidence showing in-service noise exposure or chronicity of symptoms.

The Veteran's death appeal includes claims for service connection and increased rating, which must be remanded due to procedural issues related to substitution.

The Board has decided to remand the cases of the Veteran's left knee disability, acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD, depressive disorder, bipolar disorder), and left ear hearing loss for further development.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection on multiple conditions have been dismissed due to the death of the Veteran.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability, finding that it is not related to his active duty service and is less likely caused by noise exposure during service.

The Veteran's appeal for right ear hearing loss was dismissed because the appellant withdrew their appeal before a decision could be made.

The Board has found the October 2018 VA opinion inadequate and ordered a new examination. The Veteran did not attend the scheduled November 2021 examination, and there is no evidence of proper notice being provided to him.