Hearing loss decisions — 2023

The Board has remanded the cases due to an inadequate opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus. The claims are not related to service connection.

The Veteran's service-connected bronchial asthma with COPD and emphysema, peptic ulcer, and bilateral hearing loss do not render him unemployable due to his disabilities.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current disabilities are related to his active service.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are granted as service-connected. The Board found that the Veteran's hearing loss manifested within one year of discharge, and his tinnitus is secondary to his hearing loss.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities made him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation prior to January 25, 2017. The Board denied entitlement to TDIU for this period.

The Veteran's hearing loss is not rated higher than noncompensable, as the VA examination did not show a more severe disability.,Service connection for HTN was granted based on the PACT Act, which presumes HTN to be related to herbicide exposure in Vietnam.

The Board has ordered the Regional Office to obtain private treatment records from Dr. M-M for the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss, RLE radiculopathy, and LLE radiculopathy claims. The appeals are remanded due to incomplete evidence.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient reasoning in a previous VA opinion regarding the Veteran's hearing loss. The case will be returned for further development and an addendum opinion from a different examiner.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for hypertensive vascular disease, left ear hearing loss, and infection of the skin due to additional VA treatment records generated after the most recent SSOC. Further development is needed as these disabilities may be related to military service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss, bilateral foot disorder, and vascular disorder due to incomplete records and need for additional medical opinions.

The Veteran's left and right foot disabilities have been granted service connection with effective dates of June 27, 2013. Effective date for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus has not been granted.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to inadequate VA examination opinions. The RO is instructed to obtain an adequate VA examination that addresses the Veteran's lay statements, considers shifts in acuity thresholds found in service records, and addresses in-service, post-service, occupational, and recreational hazardous noise exposure.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss, finding that his puretone thresholds and speech recognition scores did not warrant a higher evaluation.

The Veteran's right ear hearing loss and erectile dysfunction are granted service connection. The low back strain with degenerative joint disease and lumbar disc extrusion at L4-5, neuropathy, and PTSD with major depressive disorder are remanded for further review.

The Board has granted service connection for sleep apnea, but the other issues related to hearing loss, wrist disorder, foot disorder, asthma, and COPD are remanded.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus is granted. The claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence and need for a retrospective VA medical opinion regarding the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss prior to November 8, 2019.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral sensorineural hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's symptoms have been continuous since his separation from service.

The Veteran's need for regular aid and attendance is remanded due to insufficient evidence regarding the need based on his service-connected disabilities. Further medical opinion is required, including from a private rehabilitation facility records.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss has been denied as there is no current disability of a hearing loss disability for VA purposes. The issues of entitlement to service connection for migraine headaches, lumbosacral and thoracic strain, patellofemoral pain syndrome (right knee), patellofemoral pain syndrome (left knee), and TDIU are remanded.