Hearing loss decisions — 2024

The Veteran's BPPV with bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus is currently rated at 60 percent, but the Board finds that it does not meet the criteria for a higher rating as there are no attacks of vertigo or cerebellar gait occurring more than once weekly.

The Board denied service connection for left ear hearing loss, right ear hearing loss, and tinnitus as the evidence did not show that these conditions were incurred in or aggravated by military service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development and due process considerations, including obtaining medical records and scheduling VA examinations. The claims are being returned to the AOJ for further action.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a TDIU due to one service-connected disability, finding that he was not rendered unemployable based on only one of his service-connected disabilities. The decision is binding only with respect to this specific matter and does not establish VA policies or interpretations of general applicability.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for left ear hearing loss was denied, and the appeal of service connection for depression with anxiety was dismissed due to the grants of major depressive disorder and PTSD.

The Veteran withdrew all issues on appeal, including those related to lumbar spine strain, cervical spine strain, left foot strain, right foot strain, migraines, hearing loss, anxiety condition, tinnitus, and gastroesophageal reflux disorder (GERD).

The appeal for the issue of entitlement to a compensable evaluation for bilateral hearing loss is dismissed. The Veteran's tinnitus is related to his military service and has been granted.

The Veteran's hearing loss is rated at 0 percent (noncompensable) due to the severity of his hearing impairment.,The Veteran's tinnitus is rated at 10 percent, which is the maximum schedular rating available. The Veteran seeks a higher rating but cannot meet the criteria for an increased rating under VA regulations.,The Veteran was granted a 50 percent rating for PTSD on December 22, 2020, and the effective date of this grant is set to December 22, 2020. The Veteran argues that he should have received this higher rating earlier.

The Board has identified errors in the decision and remands the case for a new medical opinion to address the onset and etiology of the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss.

The Board has remanded the case due to a pre-decisional error in the duty to assist, requiring an addendum medical opinion regarding the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to in-service noise exposure. The VA will provide an opinion regarding the etiology of these conditions, including whether they are related to service.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral pes planus with plantar fasciitis is the primary factor in his inability to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation. Other conditions, such as left knee strain, right lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, lumbosacral strain, right foot hallux valgus, and left foot hallux valgus, also contribute but do not significantly impact his employability.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current bilateral hearing loss disability as defined by VA, and therefore denied his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for Meniere's syndrome with bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus is granted, effective June 26, 2017. No earlier date of claim was found.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not prevent him from securing and maintaining substantially gainful employment during the period of March 1, 2006 to August 20, 2018.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral sensorineural hearing loss, finding that the evidence is at least evenly balanced as to whether the Veteran's hearing loss had onset in service. The decision resolves reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for right ear hearing loss as new evidence did not relate to a current disability or show it was related to active service.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and anxiety and major depressive disorder due to pre-decisional duty to assist errors. The Veteran's hearing loss and tinnitus are related to noise exposure during service, but not directly linked to service. His anxiety and depression may be related to harassment by leadership during service.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the evidence is at least evenly balanced as to whether these conditions had onset in service following acoustic trauma.

The Veteran's claim for reimbursement of beneficiary travel expenses to the San Francisco VA Medical Center on September 11, 2024 was granted as he met the criteria for reimbursement.