Hearing loss decisions — 2023

The Veteran's initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss prior to May 19, 2022, and his increased rating of 30 percent from that date have both been denied by the Board.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have right ear hearing loss for VA compensation purposes during the pendency of the appeal, thus denying service connection for this condition. The remaining issues are remanded.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss has been reopened and is granted. The VA examiner found that the Veteran's current disability raises a reasonable possibility of substantiating his claim.,The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for low back pain, PTSD, TBI with headaches and numbness of upper and lower extremities are remanded as there are no recent medical records to assess the severity of these conditions.,The Veteran's claims for service connection for right hip pain, eczema, and muscle/joint pain due to an undiagnosed illness are remanded as VA opinions are inadequate. Further development is needed to determine if his disabilities qualify under presumptive provisions or if they are related to service.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for right hip pain is remanded as the VA opinion of record was inadequate and did not address direct service connection, aggravation prong of secondary service connection, or provide a rationale based on medical literature.

The Veteran's claims for reduced sense of smell, sleep disorder (obstructive sleep apnea), and hearing loss have all been denied. The Board found no evidence to support a current diagnosis or causal relationship between these conditions and service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that there was no evidence of in-service noise exposure causing these conditions.

The Veteran's PTSD is granted a 100% rating, and the appeal for increased ratings of plantar fasciitis, bilateral hearing loss, service connection for human T-cell lymphotropic virus antibody, and hypertension are dismissed. The appeal for TDIU is denied.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation, and the Board has granted entitlement to a TDIU based on extraschedular consideration.

The Veteran's claim for an initial compensable disability rating for right ear hearing loss is dismissed.,Service connection for PTSD is granted, and service connection for a back disability (lumbar degenerative disc disease) is also granted.,Service connection for sleep apnea is denied.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his service-connected bilateral hearing loss is remanded due to the need for clarification regarding the August 2020 private audiological examination results.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is remanded as the Board finds a pre-decisional duty to assist error in satisfying a regulatory duty under 38 C.F.R. § 4.16(b). The matter will be referred to the Director, Compensation Service, for extraschedular consideration.

The Board has denied a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss, finding that the Veteran's hearing loss does not warrant such a rating based on the evidence of record.

The Veteran's hearing acuity was a Roman Numeral VI in the right ear and a Roman Numeral VIII in the left ear from September 2, 2020, to November 12, 2021. The Board granted a disability rating of 40 percent for bilateral hearing loss during this period.

The Board has denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and remanded the claims of service connection for sleep apnea and left wrist disability due to duty-to-assist errors.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, but denied service connection for left ankle disorder.

The Veteran's right ear hearing loss is service-connected as it was caused by in-service noise exposure.

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

The Veteran's tinnitus is granted as service-connected.,Bilateral hearing loss and heart disability are denied as not related to service.

The Board denied the Veteran's motion to revise or reverse a December 2009 rating decision that denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding no CUE and concluding the decision was consistent with and supported by the evidence.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that these conditions are related to his military service.

The Veteran's PTSD is granted at a 70% rating, effective from August 14, 2018. His bilateral hearing loss remains noncompensable. The 100% rating for Burkitt lymphoma was discontinued as of December 1, 2018.