Hearing loss decisions — 2023

The Veteran withdrew their appeal for the issues of service connection for left ear hearing loss, left shoulder condition, and left knee condition.

The Board has dismissed the appeals for service connection of bilateral hearing loss disability and tinnitus due to the Veteran's death.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's service connection claims, including left ear hearing loss, cervical spine disability, right knee disability, left ankle disability, sinusitis, and rhinitis. The matters are being returned for further development.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss was denied as there is no current disability of bilateral hearing loss for VA purposes.,The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his back, right shoulder, and right knee disabilities were remanded due to inadequate examinations.

The Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are denied as his current level of hearing is not disabling, and there is no evidence linking the conditions to service.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus is also denied. The Board found that while he experienced noise exposure in service, his tinnitus did not begin until at least 5 years after separation from active duty.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are granted as service connected due to in-service noise exposure. The claims were reopened based on new evidence received since the previous final denial.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is currently rated as noncompensable, and the Board finds no basis to grant a compensable rating.,Service connection for right hip disability and left hip disability has been granted based on continuity of symptomatology during service.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was rated at 10 percent from January 27, 2016, to December 20, 2018. From December 21, 2018, the rating increased to 20 percent.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for higher ratings for status post coronary artery bypass grafting and bilateral hearing loss, finding that the evidence did not support a rating in excess of the current assigned disability ratings under both pre-amendment and post-amendment VA rating criteria.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to insufficient evidence regarding their onset during service.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss claim was denied as there is no evidence of a current disability for VA purposes.,For the left inguinal hernia, a noncompensable rating has been granted prior to June 14, 2023. A rating in excess of 10% is denied.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus was granted effective November 4, 1999. He is currently assigned a 10% rating for his bilateral hearing loss.

The Veteran's back disability is rated at 10 percent, but the Board found that a higher rating was not warranted based on the evidence of record.,The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss does not meet the criteria for a compensable rating.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral foot pes planus has been reopened and granted. The claims for left ankle disability, right ankle disability, bilateral hearing loss, and sinus condition are still pending and need further review.

The Veteran's depressive disorder is rated at 100 percent, effective December 26, 2023. A TDIU rating is granted for service-connected disabilities on a schedular basis but denied on an extraschedular basis.

The Veteran's bilateral diabetic retinopathy is granted as secondary to his service-connected diabetes mellitus.,The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is granted due to exposure to acoustic trauma during active service.

The Veteran's service connection claims for spermatic cysts and seminal vesicles condition, left foot blisters, gallbladder disability, generalized arthritis of the joints, gingivitis, left hip/groin pain, right hip/groin pain, inguinal abdominal pain, bilateral hearing loss (right ear), and left ear hearing loss have been granted. The remaining claims for service connection are being remanded.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that new evidence received since previous decisions supports these claims. The conditions are considered to have manifested during service with continuity of symptoms thereafter.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that it is related to in-service noise exposure and meeting the criteria for a disability.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, has been granted. The claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus have also been granted.,The reopened claim for service connection for a psychiatric disorder is remanded due to the submission of new evidence.