Hearing loss decisions — 2023

The Veteran's claim for an initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss was denied as the evidence did not show that his hearing loss met or approximated the criteria for a compensable disability rating.

The Veteran is granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability beginning December 1, 2016. The effective date of this decision is the first day of the month following when it was factually ascertainable that he could no longer secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The appeal as to the hearing loss disability is dismissed. The Veteran's back disability has been granted an initial 40 percent rating.

The Veteran is granted service connection for hypertension under the PACT Act from August 10, 2022. Service connection for a bilateral hearing loss disability is denied.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is granted, with the effective date set at August 8, 2021.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for hypoglycemia was denied as there is no persuasive evidence of a current disability. The appeal for psychiatric disability (claimed as insomnia and anxiety) was granted based on the February 2019 VA examination report.,Service connection for right shoulder, left arm, right arm, left leg, and right leg disabilities were all denied due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to service or post-service onset. Service connection for bilateral hearing loss was also denied as there is no persuasive evidence of a current disability meeting the regulatory requirements.

The appeal for a higher rating for tinnitus has been dismissed.,Your initial ratings for bilateral hearing loss and migraine headaches have been denied.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is being remanded due to the need for an addendum medical opinion.

The Veteran's tinnitus and left ear hearing loss are granted as service connected. The right ear hearing loss claim is remanded for further review.

The Veteran's claims for hearing loss, sleep disorder, acquired psychiatric disability (anxiety), back disability, right hip condition, left hip condition, right foot condition, left foot condition, right eye condition, and left upper eyelid chalazion have all been denied as there is no current evidence of these conditions.,The Veteran's claims for right knee disability and left knee disability have also been denied due to the lack of current evidence of these conditions.

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

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss has been rated as noncompensable, and the Board denied his claim for a higher rating.

The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including right ankle condition, left ankle condition, left thumb sprain, right wrist condition, left knee condition (previously claimed as bilateral knees), lower left leg trauma, and left ear hearing loss. The Veteran's claims were not supported by current disability evidence.

The Board has dismissed the issue of entitlement to service connection for right ear hearing loss. The issues of entitlement to service connection for left ear hearing loss and tinnitus have been denied.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that new evidence supports a causal relationship to in-service noise exposure.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including bilateral eye condition, lung condition, right knee condition, skeletal arthritis condition, skin disorder, migraine headaches, TBI, and bilateral hearing loss, have all been denied as there is no current evidence of these conditions or a link to his military service.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to errors in notifying him of scheduled VA examinations. The Veteran should be afforded another opportunity to appear for a VA examination.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss is denied as his worst hearing was reported in a September 2022 VA examination, with pure tone thresholds of 35-65 dB in the right ear and 40-65 dB in the left ear. The non-compensable rating assigned reflects this level of hearing impairment.

The Board has denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss due to the Veteran not meeting the criteria for a disability as defined by VA law and regulations. The case is remanded for further examination regarding tinnitus.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss is currently rated as noncompensable, and the Board finds that a compensable rating is not warranted based on the current evidence of record.