Hearing loss decisions — 2023

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of a back disability and therefore, service connection for this condition is denied.,Service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus is also denied as there is no evidence showing these conditions began during or are otherwise related to active service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of a back disability and therefore, service connection for this condition is denied.,Service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus is also denied as there is no evidence showing these conditions began during or are otherwise related to active service.

The Board has denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, but has remanded the claim for decreased vision due to a duty to assist error.

The Veteran's appeals for various conditions and ratings are being remanded due to the submission of new evidence or requests for substitution.

An effective date of October 23, 2013, but no earlier, for the award of service connection for bilateral hearing loss is granted.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was found to be at level II in both ears, resulting in a noncompensable disability rating. The Board denied the claim for a compensable rating.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for right ear hearing loss was dismissed because the issue had already been addressed in a previous appeal stream, and the new claim is considered spurious.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to inadequate medical opinions and procedural errors. The claims will be reconsidered with new evidence and appropriate procedures.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a lack of an examination and opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss. The Veteran is not satisfied with the October 2022 private opinion, which was deemed insufficient for service connection purposes.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and bilateral knee disorders due to a duty-to-assist error. The Veteran is scheduled for VA examinations to determine the nature and etiology of his claimed conditions.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, left knee disability, right knee disability, and recurrent sinus disease have been denied. The Board has remanded the claims of PTSD, PFB, and a heart disorder.,For the initial evaluation in excess of 10 percent for service-connected left knee disability, the Veteran's claim is also remanded as there is no current evidence of a hearing loss disability for VA purposes.

The appeal for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for tinnitus is dismissed.,The petition to reopen the previously denied claim for right ear hearing loss is denied.,The effective date prior to November 18, 2015, for service connection for left knee strain with patellofemoral arthritis and chondromalacia patella is denied.,Service connection for degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine and thoracic cord injury at T11 to T12 with radiculopathy is granted.,Service connection for degenerative joint disease of the left ankle is granted.,Service connection for degenerative joint disease of the right ankle is granted.

The Veteran's right ear hearing loss is currently rated as noncompensable, and the Board has remanded for further development.,Service connection for left ear hearing loss was denied due to lack of evidence linking the condition to service.

The Veteran's claim for increased ratings for bilateral hearing loss and TDIU was denied. The Board found that the Veteran did not meet the criteria for a compensable rating prior to April 23, 2019 or any disability rating in excess of 20 percent thereafter. Additionally, his claim for TDIU was denied due to insufficient information regarding his employment status.

The Veteran's hypertension and bilateral hearing loss have been rated based on the criteria in the Rating Schedule. The current ratings are non-compensable for both conditions.,For right knee, left knee, left ankle, and left foot issues, additional evidence is needed to determine if a higher rating is warranted.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is related to his service, specifically his exposure to combat noise during military service. As a result, the claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is granted.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss was granted. The claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric condition, including PTSD and anxiety; a bilateral knee disability, including DJD; and a bilateral foot disability, including pes planus are being remanded for further development.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and a right knee condition is remanded due to the need for additional medical examination.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for the award of a 80 percent disability rating for service-connected bilateral hearing loss is denied. The Board also finds that the Veteran's TDIU and DEA claims are not moot due to errors in the AOJ decision, and these matters are remanded.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the evidence is at least in approximate balance as to whether these conditions are directly caused by his military service.