Hearing loss decisions — 2024

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss, finding that it is at least as likely as not incurred in service due to combat noise exposure.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that there is no evidence of chronic conditions in service or within a presumptive period, and that the disabilities are not otherwise etiologically related to military noise exposure.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is rated as noncompensable. The Board has remanded the cases for further examination and medical opinions regarding service connection for left knee degenerative arthritis and cervical spine strain.

The Board has denied service connection for joint pain condition and remanded the issues of service connection for bilateral hearing loss, left shoulder strain, right shoulder strain, and athlete's foot due to missing service treatment records.

The Board has dismissed the appeal for service connection of bilateral hearing loss because it was not filed within one year from notification of the March 2019 rating decision.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to incomplete records and a need for additional medical opinions.

Your claim for service connection for hearing loss has already been granted, and the appeal is dismissed.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including traumatic brain injury and PTSD, have resulted in the need for regular aid and attendance of another person. The Board finds it at least as likely as not that the Veteran is in need of such assistance due to his service-connected conditions.

The Board denied the claim of entitlement to a TDIU, finding that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not render him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for further development and to obtain additional medical opinions regarding the nature and etiology of his claimed disabilities, including whether they are related to service or toxic exposure. The issues have not been fully adjudicated yet.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and PTSD due to potential errors in decision-making and the need for additional evidence or medical opinions.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus and awarded a 10% rating effective January 8, 2020. The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date of March 2, 2017 is also granted as the issue of service connection for tinnitus was within the scope of his initial hearing loss claim.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not render him unable to independently perform daily functions of self-care or to protect himself from the hazards and dangers incident to his daily environment, nor did it restrict the Veteran to his dwelling or immediate premises. Therefore, the claim for special monthly compensation based on the need for aid and attendance or housebound status is denied.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus but denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are not related to his military service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is less likely than not related to his military service, including noise exposure during active duty.

The Board has granted service-connected aggravation for the Veteran's pre-existing left ear hearing loss, finding that it worsened beyond its natural progression during service.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's claims for service connection due to lack of evidence supporting his allegations of disabilities, with some issues being remanded for further review.

The Veteran's hearing loss was not found to warrant a compensable rating prior to May 29, 2015. The Board denied the claim as there was no evidence of hearing impairment at all pure tone thresholds tested prior to that date.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is attributable to service, and the Board has granted entitlement to service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD and bilateral hearing loss have rendered him unemployable, warranting a TDIU. The Veteran's PTSD symptoms are not severe enough to merit a higher rating.