Hearing loss decisions — 2024

The Veteran's application for specially adapted housing or a special home adaptation grant was denied as he does not have any service-connected disability that meets the criteria for such benefits.

Your appeal has been dismissed as the appellant requested to withdraw his appeal.

The Veteran's appeal for an increased rating in excess of 20 percent for bilateral hearing loss was denied. The issue of service connection for basal cell carcinoma is being remanded.,The VA examiner did not provide a direct service connection opinion, and the matter needs to be addressed again.

The Veteran's appeal for an initial compensable evaluation for bilateral hearing loss was denied, and the claim of service connection for migraine headaches is remanded. The Board found that a VA examination should be scheduled to address direct service connection for migraine headaches.

The Veteran's appeal for higher ratings on his low back disability and radiculopathy of the lower right extremity is denied. His claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is remanded.

The Board granted service connection for hypertension and denied a compensable rating for left ear hearing loss. The claim for sleep apnea was remanded due to incomplete records.

The Veteran's service-connected irritable bowel syndrome, migraines, and hearing loss prevented him from securing or following any substantially gainful occupation as of June 10, 2021. The Board found sufficient evidence to substantiate a reasonable possibility that the Veteran was unemployable due to these disabilities.

The appeal for a higher-level review of the denial of service connection for bilateral hearing loss was denied as it was not timely filed.

The Veteran's tinnitus claim is denied as it has the highest schedular rating available. The left ear hearing loss claim is remanded due to an inadequate VA examination.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection are remanded due to errors in obtaining VA treatment records and opinions. The Veteran is entitled to bilateral hearing loss, but not to left ear hearing loss as there is no current diagnosis. Service connection is granted for plantar warts of the feet. The Board finds that additional medical opinions are needed regarding his knee, cervical spine, and lumbar spine disabilities due to a lack of consideration of the Veteran's competent statements about continuity of symptoms.

The Board denied service connection for right knee, left knee, insomnia, and right ear hearing loss disorders as well as a higher initial disability rating for left ear hearing loss. The appeals for separate stomach and gastrointestinal disorders were also denied.

The Board granted service connection for tinnitus and remanded the claims for bilateral hearing loss, erectile dysfunction, hepatic disease, hypertension, kidney disease, low testosterone, pulmonary embolism, sleep apnea, supraventricular tachycardia, and syncope to correct a duty to assist error in failing to obtain adequate VA examinations.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for the VA to secure his complete VA treatment records, which may affect the effective date and ratings for bronchial asthma, tinnitus, hearing loss, and status post varicocelectomy.

The Board granted the motion to revise the April 2017 rating decision based on clear and unmistakable error (CUE) and assigned a 70 percent disability rating for bilateral hearing loss from June 10, 1999, to June 15, 2011.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable initial rating for bilateral hearing loss and an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for tinnitus has been denied. The Board found that the most probative evidence does not support these claims.

The appeal was dismissed due to the Veteran's death during the pendency of the appeal.

The Board remands the claims for service connection and a compensable disability rating due to the need for further development, including determining the Veteran's participation in toxic exposure risk activities (TERA) during his military service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities alone do not render him unable to secure and follow substantially gainful employment, as he is capable of at least sedentary work.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that there is no current disability for VA purposes and insufficient evidence to establish a nexus between in-service noise exposure and either condition.

The Board denied a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss and a higher than 10 percent rating for bilateral foot porokeratosis in soles, metatarsalgia both feet. The claims for service connection for various disabilities were remanded.