Hearing loss decisions — 2023

The Board has remanded the claims for bilateral hearing loss, obstructive sleep apnea, and diabetes mellitus type II due to inadequate VA examination opinions. The Veteran should be afforded new examinations to determine the nature and etiology of his conditions.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for additional VA treatment records and a comprehensive examination of his service-connected disabilities' impact on employment. The issue of TDIU will be reconsidered based on all available evidence.

The Board has determined that the Veteran should be afforded new VA examinations to determine the nature and etiology of his claimed bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, major depressive disorder, right knee disorders, and left knee disorders due to insufficient opinions in the previous examination reports. The claims are being remanded for these purposes.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 70 percent disabling from May 23, 2017. The effective date for service connection of PTSD is set as May 23, 2017. A TDIU was granted starting from May 23, 2017.

Your TDIU claim is dismissed because you are already receiving a 100% rating for bipolar disorder and SMC based on housebound status.

The Veteran's claims for tinnitus, bilateral hearing loss, respiratory disability, prostate disability, left arm disability (hand carpal tunnel), right arm disability (hand carpal tunnel), left shoulder disability, right shoulder disability, low back disability, left leg disability, right leg disability, left knee disability, right knee disability, left ankle disability, and right ankle disability were denied. The Board found no evidence of a current disability or a relationship to service.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and examination to determine if service connection can be established for residuals of a traumatic brain injury, bilateral hearing loss disability, and neck disability.

The Veteran's initial compensable disability evaluation for service-connected bilateral hearing loss was denied. The Board found that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss manifested by hearing acuity no worse than Level II in the right ear and no worse than Level I in the left ear, resulting in a noncompensable disability rating under Diagnostic Code 6100.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate medical opinions and requests for additional evidence. The Veteran's death is being reviewed, along with his service-connected conditions.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss and keratoconus due to the need for additional evidence regarding the onset and course of his conditions.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's claims for service connection related to bilateral hearing loss, right shoulder disorder, diabetes mellitus, type II, right knee disorder, left knee disorder, acquired psychiatric disorder, and back disorder must be remanded due to inadequate examination findings.

The Veteran's tinnitus is granted service connection, but his bilateral hearing loss is denied as it did not worsen during service.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that his current disability is due to exposure to harmful noise during active duty.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss, finding that his in-service noise exposure likely caused his current condition.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is found to be related to his military service, including noise exposure. Service connection for this condition is granted.

The Veteran's lower back condition is granted as secondary to his service-connected left knee disability.,A rating of 20 percent for left knee instability from April 18, 2017 to December 10, 2018 has been granted.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus as there is no competent and reliable diagnosis of these disabilities.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including unspecified depressive disorder, urethral stricture with enuresis and incontinence, tinnitus, and bilateral hearing loss, prevented him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation. The Board granted the TDIU based on his functional impairment due to these conditions.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus is granted. The Board finds the evidence does not support a finding of current disability for bilateral hearing loss, but grants service connection for tinnitus as related to active duty service. Service connection for flat foot pes planus (claimed as plantar fasciitis) is remanded due to inadequate examination.