Hearing loss decisions — 2023

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for high blood pressure, bilateral hearing loss, right ankle disability, and left ankle disability due to inadequate medical opinions regarding the nature and etiology of these conditions.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is currently evaluated at 20 percent disabling from February 14, 2012, to September 17, 2019. The Board finds that an evaluation in excess of 20 percent is not warranted for this period.

The Veteran's claims for effective dates prior to June 12, 2017, for the award of service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, left knee disability, and right knee disability have been denied.,New and material evidence was received that is sufficient to reopen the Veteran's claim for entitlement to service connection for a neck disability.

The Board has remanded the claim of service connection for bilateral hearing loss due to deficiencies in the prior examination and the need for an addendum opinion considering the Veteran's work history.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate VA medical opinion regarding the existence and etiology of the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal regarding the claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss before a decision was made.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension was granted. The claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is being remanded due to the need for a VA examination.

Service connection for PTSD and right ear hearing loss is granted.,Degenerative arthritis of the spine, right knee meniscal tear, right ankle lateral ligament sprain, left ankle lateral ligament sprain, and left ear hearing loss are all remanded for further review.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for right ear hearing loss has been dismissed due to his withdrawal. The Board has also remanded several other claims for further development and consideration.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to incomplete or missing service treatment records, and for additional development including VA examinations.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's in-service noise exposure during combat caused his current disabilities.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that there is equipoise of evidence regarding whether his current condition was caused by military service.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for bilateral hearing loss was denied as the evidence did not show that his hearing acuity warranted a compensable disability rating.

The Veteran's claim for an initial compensable disability rating for bilateral hearing loss disability is denied.,The Veteran's claim for an effective date earlier than September 13, 2021, for the grant of service connection for PTSD is denied. The appeal as to this issue is remanded.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for his service-connected bilateral hearing loss has been denied. The Board has also remanded the issues of entitlement to increased ratings for his right and left knee strains.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for an increased rating for his service-connected bilateral hearing loss, so the claim is dismissed.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is currently rated as 0 percent disabling, and the Board has determined that a compensable rating is not warranted.

The Board has found that the Veteran does not meet the criteria for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and refractive error. The case is remanded to obtain a new VA examination regarding the etiology of his pterygium.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is being remanded due to the failure to afford him an examination in 2019.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date of service connection for tinnitus is dismissed as the Veteran withdrew his appeal.,The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss does not meet the criteria for a rating in excess of 30 percent under VA regulations.,There is no evidence to support service connection for memory loss as a physical disorder, and there is no indication that Crohn's disease existed prior to active duty military service.,Service connection cannot be granted for an acoustic neuroma or vestibular schwannoma of the left side due to lack of nexus between the condition and military service. The Veteran's regional ileitis/Crohn's disease was not aggravated by such service.,The Veteran does not have evidence that his Crohn's disease existed prior to active duty military service, nor is there any indication that it was aggravated by such service.,Service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD) and multiple spinal cord neuromas are being remanded due to insufficient evidence.,Service connection cannot be granted for multiple spinal cord neuromas as the Veteran did not provide new and material evidence.