Hearing loss decisions — 2024

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a lung condition, skin cancer, and right ear hearing loss were denied. The denial of the lung condition claim is based on lack of current diagnosis. The appeal regarding skin cancer was dismissed as it was not readjudicated before the AOJ received the NOD. The right ear hearing loss claim was granted.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that the Veteran's current hearing loss is not related to his military service.,The Board also denied service connection for tinnitus, concluding that it is not linked to his military service.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus but has remanded the issue of service connection for bilateral hearing loss due to insufficient medical opinion.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss has been rated as noncompensable, with a Maryland CNC speech recognition score of 94% in both ears and average pure tone thresholds below the threshold for compensable ratings.

The Veteran's hearing loss of the right ear is granted as service-connected.,Service connection for tinnitus is granted, with consideration given to continuity of symptomatology since service.,Gout of bilateral ankles and feet is granted as service-connected, with consideration given to continuity of symptoms since service.

The Veteran's service connection claim for tinnitus is granted. The Board finds that the Veteran has a history of noise exposure during service and current complaints of tinnitus, resolving all reasonable doubt in his favor. For the hearing loss claim, the Board finds the VA examination inadequate due to lack of continuity of symptomatology and remands the case for further evaluation.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus but denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss. The Veteran's tinnitus is related to in-service noise exposure, while his hearing loss does not meet the VA criteria for a disability.

The Board has dismissed the appeal for service connection of bilateral hearing loss as there is no case or controversy with regard to this issue.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate opinion regarding whether the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is related to his active service, specifically noise exposure associated with his duties in water treatment.

The Veteran's tinnitus is granted service connection. The claims for persistent depressive disorder with anxious distress, PTSD, bilateral hearing loss, left ankle condition, and hypertension are remanded.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to an inadequate rationale in a previous VA opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's right ear hearing loss. The Veteran is asked to undergo another VA examination and provide an opinion on whether his hearing loss is related to service or within one year post-service.

The Veteran's claim for Total Disability Rating Based on Individual Unemployability (TDIU) was denied because the effective date cannot be earlier than March 12, 2021. The TDIU award is based on the schedular requirements and not due to a new disability or change in existing disabilities.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus have been granted with an effective date of December 31, 2018.

The Veteran's tinnitus is found to have started during service and granted service connection.,Bilateral hearing loss was not shown to be related to service, as it did not manifest within one year of separation from active duty.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error in not providing an adequate examination. The Veteran's MOS as a teletypewriter repairman must be considered, along with his lay statements and service treatment records showing a worsening of the left ear at 4000 hertz threshold from entrance to exit examinations.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus but remanded the claim for bilateral hearing loss due to insufficient evidence in the VA audiological examination.

The Board has dismissed the appeal for special monthly compensation based on loss of use of both feet. The claims for service connection related to bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, hypertension, and erectile dysfunction are remanded due to pre-decisional duty to assist errors.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for bilateral hearing loss was denied, and the Board granted service connection for Meniere's syndrome as secondary to his service-connected hearing loss. The effective date of this grant is being addressed.

The Veteran's service connection claims for an eye disability, left ear hearing loss, and right ear hearing loss have been denied as there is no evidence of a current disability due to service.,Service connection for the right ankle disability has been remanded as additional information or evidence may be needed.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and a compensable rating for service-connected conditions have been dismissed due to the appellant's death.