Hearing loss decisions — 2023

The Veteran's service-connected conditions, including obstructive sleep apnea, tinnitus, bilateral hearing loss, and anxiety disorder, have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation since June 12, 2018.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for bilateral hearing loss, left eye disability, PTSD, and GI disability. The TDIU claim is also remanded due to its interrelated nature with other issues.

The Board has granted service connection for left knee, right knee, lower back, and tinnitus disabilities. Service connection is denied for bilateral hearing loss.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a lack of consideration of the Veteran's lay testimony regarding his hearing loss starting during service and worsening since separation.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) as secondary to his service-connected bilateral hearing loss.

The Board denied service connection for tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are not related to his military service due to lack of in-service symptoms or contemporaneous medical records.

The Board has remanded the claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to outstanding VA treatment records from 1965-2003. The Veteran's records at the Pittsburgh VAMC are not fully associated with his case file.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal regarding the service connection for bilateral hearing loss.

The Veteran's claim for an initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss is denied as his most severe hearing acuity level was Level II in both ears, which corresponds to a 0 percent disability rating.

The Veteran's claim for a higher initial evaluation for bilateral hearing loss disability was denied. Prior to September 23, 2019, the Veteran did not meet the criteria for a compensable rating. From September 23, 2019 onwards, he met the criteria for a 20 percent rating.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for all listed conditions, resulting in the dismissal of these claims.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss is rated at level I in the right ear and level IV in the left ear, resulting in a noncompensable rating. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher disability evaluation.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss disability, heart disability, and hypertension due to duty performed in National Guard service. The VA needs to obtain records of ACDUTRA and INACDUTRA periods, provide a medical opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's hearing loss disability, and ensure all relevant evidence is considered.

The Veteran's service-connected conditions, including cluster headaches and knee disabilities, have rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment. The Board has granted a TDIU based on these conditions.

The Board denied service connection for a left knee condition, bilateral hearing loss, and colon cancer. Service connection was granted for hypertension on a basis other than the provisions of the PACT Act.,Service connection for hypertension was granted without regard to the PACT Act.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate compliance with prior remand instructions, requiring further development of medical opinion evidence regarding the nature and etiology of the Veteran's sleep apnea disability.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are granted as service-connected. The claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, depression, and anxiety, is remanded.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient information regarding whether the Veteran's left ear hearing loss preexisted service and if it is related to military noise exposure.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, lumbar spine disability, and hearing loss, have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation as of June 1, 2018.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss, an acquired psychiatric disorder (chronic depression), and sleep apnea due to insufficient evidence. The Veteran is seeking service connection for these conditions.