Hearing loss decisions — 2024

The Veteran's TDIU claim is granted with an effective date of April 11, 2023.,The Veteran is now eligible for DEA benefits since April 11, 2023.,The Veteran is also entitled to SMC at the housebound rate from April 11, 2023.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are found to be related to his active service, with the Board granting service connection for both conditions.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, wrist disability, lower back disability, shin splints, foot disability (including tinea pedis), and hip disability are remanded due to inadequate VA examinations. The Veteran is presumed competent to report his symptoms and continuity of symptoms since service.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus was dismissed due to the death of the Veteran during the pendency of the appeal.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and recurrent tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's symptoms have been continuous since service. The decision is based on presumptive service connection due to in-service noise exposure.

The Board has determined that there were procedural errors and a remand is necessary to address the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss.

The Board denied the Veteran's appeal because his notice of disagreement (NOD) was not filed within one year of the October 2016 rating decision, and thus the NOD was untimely.

The Board has denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus as the evidence does not show a nexus between current diagnoses and military noise exposure.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for bilateral hearing loss was dismissed because the submitted forms were not timely and did not constitute valid NODs.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for right ear hearing loss and GERD due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error. The claims will be reviewed with new medical opinions.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss, finding that the Veteran's pre-existing conditions worsened during 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 a pre-decisional duty to assist error.

The Board has remanded the case for further action due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error regarding hypertension. The Veteran's service-connected PTSD is being considered as a possible cause or aggravation of his diagnosed hypertension.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that these conditions are related to his in-service noise exposure.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, hearing loss disability, left knee disability, and right knee disability. The evidence does not support a finding of in-service incurrence or aggravation of these conditions.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, right knee disability, and left knee disability due to a lack of evidence showing these conditions began during service or are related to an in-service injury or disease.

The Veteran's claim for an effective date prior to September 13, 2017 for service connection of bilateral hearing loss was denied. For the entire initial rating period from September 13, 2017, a noncompensable (0%) disability rating for bilateral hearing loss was also denied.

The Veteran's claims for left and right knee instability, tinnitus, bilateral hearing loss, and back condition were denied. The Board found no earlier effective date prior to May 21, 2019, for these conditions as the evidence did not show entitlement arose before that date.,For left and right knee strain with chondromalacia, a rating of 20 percent was granted.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's claims of service connection for tinnitus, bilateral hearing loss, a back condition, and a left foot condition due to their finality.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current disability for which service connection can be granted, specifically left ear hearing loss. The issues of service connection for left knee and ankle disabilities are remanded due to inadequate nexus opinions.