Hearing loss decisions — 2023

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including degenerative disc disease of the cervical spine and bilateral hearing loss, are rated at least 70 percent combined. The Board has granted a schedular TDIU rating from August 20, 2013, but the issue of an extraschedular TDIU rating is being remanded due to outstanding SSA records. The Veteran's service-connected disabilities preclude him from maintaining substantially gainful employment consistent with his education and work experience.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are denied as there is no evidence of a current disability for VA purposes.,The Veteran's IBS is denied as the record does not show continuity of symptoms since service or a nexus to service.,The Veteran's low back disorder is remanded due to inadequate opinion in the September 2018 VA examination.

The Veteran's tinnitus was granted service connection. The increased rating for lumbar strain with degenerative disc disease, bilateral hearing loss, and migraine headaches were remanded due to insufficient evidence.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied as there is no current disability of bilateral hearing loss for VA purposes.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for a left shoulder condition is denied as he does not have a current disability of the left shoulder and has not had one at any time during the pendency of the claim or recent to the filing of the claim.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for left ear hearing loss, finding that his pre-existing condition did not worsen during service and is now within normal limits.

The Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss and right hip condition are denied due to dishonorable discharge.,The Veteran's claims for schizophrenia and bipolar disorder are denied as new and relevant evidence has not been received.,Service connection is granted for pseudofolliculitis barbae, with the presumption that it was incurred during active duty.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including lower back disability, radiculopathies, and hearing loss, have rendered him unable to maintain substantially gainful employment since July 28, 2022. The Board has granted TDIU based on the combined effect of these conditions.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is related to his military service and grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's service connection claims for high cholesterol, bilateral eye disability, bilateral lower extremity neuropathy, right upper extremity neuropathy, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus have all been denied. The evidence does not support a finding of current disabilities related to these conditions.,There is no persuasive medical evidence linking the Veteran's claimed conditions to his active-duty service.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral tinnitus and right ear hearing loss, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are related to his military service due to exposure to hazardous noise as an aircraft technician.

The Veteran's appeal for an evaluation in excess of 10 percent for CAD with a history of acute myocardial infarction status post stent placement from January 15, 2019 to February 23, 2022 has been dismissed.,Service connection for left ear hearing loss disability was denied as there is no evidence showing the Veteran experienced a current disability in service or within one year of separation. The Board found that the Veteran's current left ear hearing loss did not meet VA criteria and thus could not be presumed to have originated from service.,The Veteran's appeal for an evaluation in excess of 30 percent for CAD with a history of acute myocardial infarction status post stent placement from February 24, 2022 was dismissed as the evidence did not show that the current disability was caused by or aggravated by service-connected conditions.,Service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder (to include depression and PTSD) is remanded due to insufficient evidence.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment from March 25, 2022. The Board found it factually ascertainable that the Veteran was unemployable due to his obstructive sleep apnea and other conditions.

The Board has remanded the case due to a failure to address whether there was sufficient evidence to substantiate a reasonable possibility that the Veteran is unemployable by reasons of his service-connected disabilities, and to refer the claim for extra-schedular consideration of TDIU.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral sensorineural hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the evidence is at least in equipoise as to whether these conditions had their onset during active-duty service or within one year of separation.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for a right knee disability and left lower extremity peripheral neuropathy due to insufficient medical opinions. The Veteran's current disabilities are not presumed, and there is no clear and unmistakable evidence of permanent aggravation.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient consideration of recent evidence and a need for further medical opinion regarding the Veteran's hearing loss.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability is related to noise exposure during his military service, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's right shoulder disability, bilateral hearing loss, tension headaches, PTSD with alcohol use disorder and TBI residuals, left sciatic radicular pain, and right sciatic radicular pain are all denied. The Veteran is granted service connection for left and right sciatic radicular pain.

The Veteran's tinnitus is granted as service-connected.,Bilateral hearing loss does not meet VA criteria for a disability. The claim is denied.,Left knee disorder and right knee disorder are not shown to be related to military service. The claims are denied.,Low back disorder is not shown to be related to military service. The claim is denied.,Sleep apnea is not shown to be related to military service. The claim is denied.

The Board has found that there is not sufficient evidence to support the Veteran's claims for service connection for a low back disability, bilateral hearing loss, and obstructive sleep apnea. The Veteran's current diagnoses are not related to his active duty service.,Regarding arthritis of the left wrist, left knee, and ankles, the Board has found that there is insufficient evidence to determine if these conditions began during service or are otherwise related to an in-service injury.