Hearing loss decisions — 2023

The Board has decided that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is related to service and remands for further development.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for bilateral hearing loss has been dismissed because he opted into the modernized appeals process under the Appeals Modernization Act (AMA).

The Board has remanded the claims for further development and examination to determine the nature and etiology of any acquired psychiatric disorders, including PTSD; sleep disorder; lumbar spine disability; right lower extremity disability; left lower extremity disability; skin disability; right shoulder disability; left shoulder disability; bilateral hearing loss; tinnitus; headaches; and dizziness. The Veteran's period of active service is not established as honorable.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and reopening of previously denied claims are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining medical records and verifying in-service stressors.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a missed VA examination for bilateral hearing loss. The Veteran needs to be rescheduled for an examination and any recent medical records should also be added to his file.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for tinnitus is denied as the maximum schedular rating has been assigned. The claim for service connection for left ear hearing loss is granted, but the claim for service connection for MDD is denied.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied as he does not have a current disability.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for restless leg syndrome is denied as there is no evidence of the condition during or recent to his claim period.

The Board has remanded several claims for further development due to the submission of new VA treatment records and medical examination results.

The Veteran's representative withdrew the appeal of the claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss.

The Veteran's tinnitus was granted service connection. The claims for Meniere's syndrome and right ear hearing loss are remanded.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the etiology of the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss disability. The AOJ must obtain a new VA addendum opinion from the same VA audiologist who performed the October 2017 VA audiology examination and opinion, addressing whether there is at least as likely as not that the Veteran's current bilateral ear hearing loss disability is causally or etiologically related to noise exposure during his period of active duty in the Army.

The Veteran's claim for higher ratings on his service-connected peripheral neuropathy, bilateral hearing loss, knee disabilities, and varicose veins is remanded due to the need for additional examinations and medical opinions.

The Board has remanded the cases of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, right ear hearing loss, and asthma due to inadequate medical opinions regarding their etiology. The Veteran's claims are being returned for further development.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to an inadequate VA opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss. The matter is now being sent back for further evaluation.

The Veteran's tinnitus is granted as service connection. The Board finds that the Veteran has credible statements of continuity of symptoms since service.,The Veteran's bilateral eye disorder and bilateral hearing loss are remanded for further evaluation.

The Board has dismissed the appeal of service connection for left ear hearing loss as the Veteran withdrew his appeal in September 2023.

The Board has remanded the case due to failure to comply with previous remand directives regarding scheduling a VA examination for the Veteran's left ear hearing loss. The Veteran must be afforded another opportunity for an examination.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are granted as service connected. The issues of service connection for PTSD, erectile dysfunction (secondary to a service-connected disability), and an acquired psychiatric disability remain pending and will be remanded.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that there is no evidence of in-service noise exposure or a diagnosis of hearing loss within one year after separation from active duty. The Board also found that the Veteran did not provide competent medical evidence to support his claim.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for lumbar spine disability was reopened, but his claims for left shoulder and right shoulder disabilities were not. Service connection is granted for a deviated nasal septum due to presumed exposure during active duty. Service connection is also granted for rhinitis due to presumed exposure during active duty.