Hearing loss decisions — 2024

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss is currently rated as noncompensable, with Level I for the right ear and Level IV for the left ear.

The Veteran's tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss have been granted service connection, with the tinnitus finding based on in-service noise exposure. The left shoulder disability has also been granted a 30 percent evaluation.,No specific evidence of exposure to burn pits, Agent Orange, Camp Lejeune, radiation, or Gulf War was provided.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral tinnitus, but denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss due to the absence of a current disability for VA purposes.

The Board has remanded the claims for bilateral lower extremity neuropathy, upper extremity peripheral neuropathy, chest neuropathy, stomach neuropathy, lower extremity swelling, a sleep disorder, macular degeneration, left kidney cyst, skin condition, and right humeral fracture. The Veteran's hearing loss and tinnitus are denied as there is no evidence of current disability.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bruxism, neck condition, bilateral hearing loss, and PTSD have all been denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support granting any of these conditions on a standalone basis or due to military service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for asthma has been denied as there is no evidence of a current disability during the appeal period.,The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for bilateral hearing loss has also been denied, with the Board finding that his current level of hearing acuity does not warrant a compensable rating.

The Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss, left knee arthritis, and right knee arthritis are being remanded due to pre-decisional duty-to-assist errors. The VA is required to attempt to obtain outstanding treatment records from the Granbury VA clinic and reschedule a VA examination for his claimed bilateral hearing loss.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection have been denied. The Board has found that the Veteran does not meet the criteria for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for tinnitus, and there is no evidence of bilateral hearing loss or a current thoracolumbar spine disorder. Service connection for joint pain and a thoracolumbar spine disorder are remanded due to insufficient evidence.

The Board has remanded the claims of entitlement to service connection for left ear hearing loss and entitlement to a compensable evaluation for right ear hearing loss due to insufficient competent medical evidence on file regarding their etiology.

The Board has remanded the case due to a need for clarification of the Veteran's hearing test results at separation and for an opinion on whether his current bilateral hearing loss is related to his service, specifically noise exposure.

The Veteran's tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss are granted as service-connected. The Board found that the Veteran experienced acoustic trauma during service, which is sufficient to establish service connection for these conditions.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss is denied as the evidence does not show that his hearing acuity has been worse than Level I in either ear, which corresponds to a noncompensable disability rating.

The Veteran's claims for PTSD, a back condition, erectile dysfunction, flatfoot, hearing loss, and tinnitus were denied as there is no evidence of current disabilities or service connection.,No VA examinations were conducted to support the claims.

The Board denied service connection for a lower back disability, bilateral hearing loss (left ear), and tinnitus. The Veteran's lower back condition was found to have existed prior to his military service and not aggravated by it.,For the left ear, there is no evidence of current hearing loss meeting VA criteria.

The Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss and a cervical spine disorder have been remanded due to procedural issues and the need for additional medical opinions.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for PTSD and bilateral hearing loss, as well as his claim for TDIU, are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations to assess the current severity of these conditions.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient compliance with previous directives and the need for an addendum opinion regarding the Veteran's hearing loss.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate reasons for denying a higher rating for bilateral hearing loss prior to December 2, 2022. The Veteran's appeal is now back with the Board for additional development.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for left ear hearing loss and tinnitus due to insufficient medical opinions. The case will be returned for further development, including obtaining additional VA and private treatment records and providing a new medical opinion.

The Board has remanded the case due to an apparent discrepancy in findings from a previous VA examination.