Hearing loss decisions — 2023

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for a left shoulder disorder has been withdrawn. The remaining issues have been remanded for further evaluation and clarification of the Veteran's conditions.,Issues related to right hip, right shoulder, left hip, bilateral hearing loss, heart disorder (to include CAD), sleep disorder (to include OSA), and chronic fatigue are being remanded for additional examination and analysis.

The Veteran's claims for various conditions are being remanded to obtain missing service records and conduct medical examinations. The specific issues include bilateral hearing loss, acquired psychiatric disorder (secondary to other conditions), skeletal arthritis, bowel disorder, low back disorder, hip disorders, knee disorders, and foot disorders.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to new evidence submitted since the most recent Supplemental Statement of the Case (SSOC). The issues will be reconsidered by the agency of original jurisdiction (AOJ) with consideration of this additional evidence.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is related to his active service, and therefore grants the claim for service connection.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for low back disorder, bilateral hip disorder, left knee disorder, and migraine headaches due to new evidence indicating these conditions may be related to service.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss disability and tinnitus due to conflicting opinions in a June 2018 VA examination. The Veteran is requested to provide additional medical records, especially from his Reserve duty period, and an addendum opinion is needed.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings were denied. The back condition and sciatic radiculopathy of the right lower extremity are rated at their maximum levels, while tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss do not warrant higher ratings.

The Veteran's claim of service connection for bilateral hearing loss has been reopened and is granted.,The Veteran's claims of service connection for migraine headaches, arthritis of the shoulders, knees, hips, and back have all been denied.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss due to in-service noise exposure and right ear infections, as well as her secondary service connection claim for hearing loss related to her service-connected right ear otitis media. The case is being returned for further development.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is granted as incurred in service. The cases for pruritus, athlete's foot, PFB, right knee disability, left knee disability (secondary to right knee), watery eyes, and allergic rhinitis/sinusitis are remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions considering toxic exposure.

The Board has denied service connection for right ankle disability, left ankle disability, hearing loss, tinnitus, hypercholesterolemia, and hypertension. The Board found no current disabilities for the right or left ankles, hearing loss, or tinnitus, and concluded that there was insufficient evidence to establish a nexus between any of these conditions and service.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is not rated compensably under the schedular criteria, and the Board has referred the matter to the Director of Compensation Service for extraschedular consideration.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for bilateral hearing loss is being remanded due to the need for additional audiometric evaluations and consideration of his reported worsening hearing acuity.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for bilateral hearing loss and right sartorius muscle tear were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a rating in excess of 10 percent for either condition.

The Board has granted service connection for left ear hearing loss, but has remanded the issue of right ear hearing loss due to conflicting evidence regarding its pre-service status.,Service connection is granted for left ear hearing loss, while the validity of in-service noise exposure and its impact on right ear hearing loss remains under review.

The Board has granted service connection for left and right ear hearing loss, finding that the evidence is approximately balanced in favor of a causal link to in-service hazardous noise exposure.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are granted as service-connected, with the Board finding that both conditions began in service and have continued since separation.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss is denied, and his claim for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea is remanded due to the need for a VA examination.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for asthma and hearing loss are being remanded due to the lack of a VA examination assessing whether these conditions were incurred in or related to his military service, including exposure to burn pit particulate matter.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is rated at 10 percent, and a higher rating of in excess of 10 percent is denied.