Hearing loss decisions — 2024

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for service connection of tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss, finding that no new evidence was submitted within one year of the original rating decisions.

The Board has granted service connection for left ear hearing loss and tinnitus, but denied service connection for right ear hearing loss.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for dizziness and headaches due to a lack of evidence linking these conditions to his military service. The Veteran's foot disorder and bilateral hearing loss are being remanded for further examination.,The Veteran is seeking service connection for his current foot disorder, which he alleges began during active duty training. He also claims that his hearing loss is related to an in-service broken ear drum.

The Veteran's claim for an effective date prior to July 17, 2020, for the grant of a 100 percent rating for Meniere's disease including right ear hearing loss, tinnitus, and vertigo is denied as there is no legal basis to assign such an earlier effective date.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is granted as service-connected, with the onset during active duty service.

The Board has denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and PTSD due to lack of evidence showing current disabilities. The case is remanded for a new opinion on the nature and etiology of the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss has not been shown to meet the criteria for a compensable disability rating, as his hearing impairment levels do not warrant such a rating based on VA audiometric testing.

The Veteran's appeal for an increased rating for tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss has been denied. The Board also found that the evidence does not support a compensable rating for his bilateral hearing loss, as it is currently rated at Level I.,Service connection claims for an acquired psychiatric disorder, obstructive sleep apnea, and headaches have been remanded due to incomplete service treatment records.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is manifested by hearing acuity of no worse than Level I in both ears, resulting in a 0 percent disability rating under Diagnostic Code 6100. Therefore, the claim for a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss is denied.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus. The claims for bilateral hearing loss, right foot condition, and right knee condition are remanded due to pre-decisional errors.

The Board has determined that there is no current evidence of a right or left hip disability, and thus the Veteran's claims for service connection for these conditions are denied.,For tinnitus, the Veteran was previously granted service connection but remains at the maximum schedular rating (10%). The claim for an increased evaluation in excess of 10 percent is remanded as there is no evidence to support such a higher rating.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal, so the case is dismissed.

The Veteran's left ear hearing loss is related to in-service noise exposure.,The Veteran's right ear hearing loss was not shown as chronic in service and did not manifest to a compensable degree within the applicable presumptive period; continuity of symptomatology is not established; and the disability is not otherwise etiologically related to an in-service injury or disease.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for left ear hearing loss, right knee disability, and initial compensable rating for right ear hearing loss due to procedural errors in obtaining necessary evidence and inadequate medical opinions.

The Board denied the Veteran's appeal as VA was required to recoup separation pay from his disability compensation, and this is a matter of law rather than fact.

The Board denied a higher rating for bilateral hearing loss from May 20, 2024 to the present as the evidence did not show that the disability warranted a higher rating.

The Veteran's travel to UCSF Orthopedics on March 12, 2024, for an orthopedic consult related to left knee pain was approved and covered by VA. The Board granted the claim based on the benefit of doubt.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for lower back, left shoulder, and right knee disabilities due to incomplete records and a need for VA TERA examinations. The Veteran is not entitled to a compensable rating for his left ear hearing loss.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that there is at least a reasonable doubt in favor of the claim and resolving it in the Veteran's favor.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a duty to assist error in the previous VA examination, and thus the claim of service connection for left ear hearing loss is being returned to the AOJ for further action.