Hearing loss decisions — 2023

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss. The Veteran is encouraged to submit any private treatment records for consideration.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for all issues related to PTSD, left knee injury, diabetes, bilateral cataracts, hearing loss, COPD, pneumonia, skin condition, and TBI. The appeal is dismissed without prejudice.

The Veteran's bilateral pes planus was found to have been aggravated by his active-duty service, and thus granted service connection.,The Veteran did not meet the criteria for a hearing loss disability under VA regulations, so service connection for bilateral hearing loss was denied.

The Board has determined that additional evidence is needed to fully and fairly consider the merits of the Veteran's claims. As such, all issues on appeal are REMANDED for further development.

The Board previously awarded service connection for left ear hearing loss. The current appeal is about a compensable rating for right ear hearing loss, which was remanded due to incomplete VA audiometric records.

The Board has decided to remand the cases of tinnitus and hearing loss for further examination and opinion. The Veteran's service connection claims are being reviewed due to inadequate medical opinions in his previous VA examinations.

The Board has granted service connection for right pinky fracture residuals and scar, but the claims for bilateral hearing loss, left ankle disability, left knee disability, and right knee disability are remanded due to insufficient evidence.

The Veteran's SMC claim for aid and attendance is granted. The diabetes rating appeal is remanded due to the need for additional examinations.

The Board denied a compensable rating for the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss, finding that the evidence did not warrant an increased rating based on either examination and that the functional effects of the Veteran's hearing loss were consistent with the symptoms covered by the applicable Diagnostic Code.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities (PTSD, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and degenerative arthritis of the spine) have prevented him from obtaining and maintaining substantial employment consistent with his educational background and work history. Therefore, a Total Disability Rating based on Individual Unemployability for the period beginning August 22, 2008 is granted.

The Board has remanded the cases due to insufficient examination and opinion regarding the Veteran's hearing loss and tinnitus claims, specifically addressing delayed onset hearing loss.

The Veteran's hearing loss prior to September 8, 2020 was rated as noncompensable (0%) due to the average pure tone threshold being no worse than Level II in the right ear and Level I in the left ear. The Board found that this did not meet the criteria for a compensable rating.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient development and referral for extra-schedular TDIU consideration prior to April 14, 2021. The Veteran's service-connected disabilities are expected to impact his ability to work.

The Veteran is granted an evaluation of total disability based on individual unemployability (TDIU) due to service-connected disabilities from August 29, 2012, but no earlier. The Board found that the Veteran was unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation due to his service-connected ear-disease disabilities.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's appeals for service connection and rating determinations due to a withdrawal request by the appellant.

The Veteran's claim for bilateral hearing loss is denied as there is no evidence of current disability.,The Veteran's claim for left knee disability to include as secondary to service-connected back disability is denied due to lack of a nexus between the knee condition and service.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development due to a pre-decisional error in fulfilling the duty to assist. Specifically, a medical opinion is needed regarding whether the Appellant was insane at the time of his discharge.

The Veteran's service-connected type II diabetes mellitus is currently rated at 40 percent, but the evidence does not support a higher rating due to lack of episodes of ketoacidosis or hypoglycemic reactions requiring hospitalizations.,Both lower extremity neuropathies are currently rated at 10 percent each. The Veteran's right and left femoral nerves have mild incomplete paralysis.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for an increased rating for hemorrhoids and granted a 10 percent disability rating for bilateral hearing loss. The criteria for a higher rating were not met in either case.

The Board has remanded the case for a VA medical examination to determine if any of the Veteran's current right ear hearing loss disability is due to his service, including in light of his provided information about service symptoms and noise exposure.