Hearing loss decisions — 2023

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied as he does not have a current diagnosis of hearing loss that meets VA criteria.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including diabetic peripheral neuropathy, hearing loss, and tinnitus, have rendered him unable to secure and maintain substantially gainful employment. The Board has granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU).

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for tinnitus, bilateral hearing loss, and PTSD have been denied. The Veteran is currently receiving a 10 percent rating for his tinnitus, a noncompensable rating for his bilateral hearing loss, and a 70 percent rating for his PTSD as of November 22, 2019.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss has not manifested at a level severe enough to warrant a disability rating in excess of 40 percent under the provisions of 38 C.F.R. § 4.85, and his claim for an increased rating is denied.

The Veteran's application for a TDIU was denied as it was not raised prior to April 22, 2020.,The effective date for DEA benefits was denied because the qualifying disability rating (100% schedular rating for PTSD) was established on April 22, 2020.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, tinnitus, and bilateral hearing loss was granted. Service connection is established for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis due to active duty service. Bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are not service-connected as there is no evidence of in-service injury or continuous symptoms since service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus have been denied. The Board has found that the evidence does not support a finding of in-service onset or continuity of symptomatology.,For his PTSD, the Veteran's claim is remanded as there are outstanding VA treatment records from January 2017 to the present.

The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including left knee disability, right knee disability, left thumb disability, tension headaches, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, hypertension, and high cholesterol.

The Board has determined that new and relevant evidence has been received for the claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus. The claim for tinnitus is granted, but the claim for bilateral hearing loss is remanded due to a duty-to-assist error.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss is remanded due to the failure of VA to obtain and associate relevant audiology records from a community care provider with the claims file prior to deciding his increased rating claim.

The Veteran is granted an earlier effective date of April 7, 2014 for a 10 percent rating for left ear sensorineural hearing loss.

The Board has found new and relevant evidence for the claims of service connection for bilateral tinnitus and hearing loss. These cases are being remanded to allow for further consideration.

The Board has remanded the claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss due to new and relevant evidence. The claim for service connection for lower back disability is denied.,Service connection for a lower back disability is denied as there is no credible evidence of an in-service injury or disease, nor continuity of symptomatology since service.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that it is related to the Veteran's exposure to noise during his military service.

The Veteran's service-connected lumbar spine degenerative arthritis is granted a 10% rating for left lower extremity radiculopathy, but denied for other conditions.,Bilateral hearing loss and bilateral plantar fasciitis are not service connected.

The Board has dismissed the appeals for service connection of bilateral hearing loss, bilateral plantar fasciitis, right hand condition, tinnitus, headaches as secondary to head/nose injury, lower back condition, and cervical spine disability due to an error in docketing under the AMA system.

Your appeal for a higher initial evaluation for your bilateral hearing loss disability has been dismissed as the matter was addressed under the modernized review system (AMA).

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including back disability, neck disability, left knee disability, psychiatric disability, skin disability, respiratory disability (to include asbestosis), tinnitus, and bilateral hearing loss. The evidence did not meet the regulatory threshold for these disabilities.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are granted as service-connected due to noise exposure during active duty.

The Veteran is granted TDIU for his service-connected PTSD from March 15, 2018, to March 17, 2021. SMC at the housebound rate is also granted as of September 1, 2023.