Hearing loss decisions — 2024

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for hearing loss and tinnitus due to inadequate medical opinion in the June 2024 VA examination.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to inadequate opinions in the previous VA examinations. The Veteran's current hearing loss and tinnitus are related to his military noise exposure, but further development is needed.

The Board denied service connection for neck, left shoulder, right shoulder, left foot, and right foot disabilities. Service connection was also denied for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus.,Service connection was not granted for the claimed conditions due to lack of evidence showing a current disability related to service.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that there is no evidence to support a nexus between these conditions and his military service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to a duty-to-assist error in obtaining his complete service treatment records, including his separation examination and reserve service records. The VA is required to attempt to obtain these records.

The Veteran's claim for TDIU due to service-connected disabilities prior to September 18, 2023, on an extraschedular basis is being remanded as the AOJ did not consider all evidence of record and failed to refer the case to the Director of Compensation Services for extraschedular consideration.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the etiology of the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss. The claim will be reconsidered with a new medical opinion.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that the Veteran's current disability is at least as likely as not related to his military noise exposure during service.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal of the issues regarding service connection for bilateral hearing loss, broken eye vessels, and erectile dysfunction before a decision was made.

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

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to a duty to assist error. The Veteran's military noise exposure is conceded, but further examination is needed to determine if his hearing loss and tinnitus are related to service.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for right ear hearing loss and a compensable rating for left ear hearing loss, finding that there is no medical evidence linking his current hearing loss to his military service.

The Veteran's claim for bilateral hearing loss is remanded due to the submission of new evidence.,The effective date for service connection for left lower extremity radiculopathy will be set at May 18, 2021, as this was when objective evidence first indicated the condition.,Service connection for hypertension cannot be established as there is no in-service disease or injury linked to the condition and it did not manifest within one year of separation from service.,A rating in excess of 40 percent for gout prior to February 22, 2021, is denied. From that date onwards, a 40 percent disability rating is granted.,Service connection for depressive disorder cannot be established as there is no evidence of an in-service disease or injury linked to the condition.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for bilateral hearing loss and painful left wrist scars were denied as the evidence did not support higher disability ratings under VA rating criteria.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability is not service-connected due to the lack of audiometric and speech recognition scores meeting VA criteria for a current disability.,Service connection for chest disability (claimed as chest crush injury) is denied because there is no evidence that the condition had its onset in service or is otherwise related to an in-service injury.

The appeal is dismissed due to the Veteran's death. The Board cannot issue a decision on the underlying claim(s) at this time.

The Veteran's claim for an initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss is denied as his service-connected bilateral hearing loss manifested as, at worst, Level II hearing impairment in both ears.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for tinnitus is denied.,Service connection for bilateral hearing loss and TBI are both denied.,The Veteran's psychiatric disorder, including anxiety, depression, and PTSD, is remanded for further development.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that there is no evidence of a current disability in either case.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss does not warrant a compensable rating, as his test results show Level I hearing in both ears.