Hearing loss decisions — 2024

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss has been granted a 100% evaluation, and his TDIU issue is dismissed as moot due to the grant of a 100% rating for his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's request for a higher-level review of the June 8, 2019 rating decision that denied service connection for hearing loss was timely due to good cause shown. The appeal is granted.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied as there is no current diagnosis of hearing loss in either ear.,Service connection for a left knee disability cannot be established due to the absence of a current disability and lack of evidence of an in-service injury or disease.,Service connection for right foot and left foot disabilities cannot be established because there is no current diagnosis of these conditions, and the Veteran has not provided sufficient evidence to establish their onset during service.,The Veteran's claim for a rating greater than 10 percent for her right knee disability is denied as she does not meet the criteria for instability or other functional loss that would warrant a higher rating under Diagnostic Codes 5260, 5261, and 5257.,Service connection for a psychiatric disability has been granted but the Veteran's claim for a TDIU is also granted as her condition alone prevents her from maintaining substantially gainful employment.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims of service connection for various conditions, including bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, right shoulder disability, sinus disability/allergic rhinitis, back disability, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), left knee disability, and sleep apnea. The claims are being remanded due to a duty to assist error.

The Board has determined that new and relevant evidence has been received to readjudicate the claim of entitlement to service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder. The Veteran's claim is being remanded due to the need for further development.,Service connection for sleep apnea is denied as there is no evidence showing a relationship between the condition and military service or a service-connected disability.

The Board has denied a higher disability rating for the Veteran's service-connected degenerative disc disease of the lumbosacral spine and has remanded the issue of service connection for bilateral hearing loss.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, a sleep disorder secondary to an acquired psychiatric disorder, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus have been granted due to the submission of new evidence that supports causal relationships between these conditions and his military service.

The Veteran's hearing loss has been rated as noncompensable (0%) throughout the appeal period, with Level I hearing impairment in both ears.

The Board has decided to remand the cases of left ear hearing loss and tinnitus for additional development.

The Veteran's tinnitus is currently rated at the highest schedular rating provided for that condition. The claim for service connection for left ear hearing loss has been remanded due to a duty-to-assist error.

The Board has remanded four issues related to service connection for sleep apnea, athlete's foot, broken bone in right foot (big toe), and hearing loss due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error. The Veteran is required to undergo VA examinations to determine the nature and etiology of these conditions.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss was denied as he failed to report for a VA examination without good cause, and the evidence did not show a connection between his current hearing loss and his active service.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability, tinnitus, and colon cancer have all been granted service connection. The claims were based on the Veteran's in-service noise exposure and reported occupational exposures.

The Veteran's claim for a higher initial rating for his bilateral hearing loss disability is remanded due to the need for clarification regarding the speech recognition test used in the January 2020 private audiological examination.

The Board denied service connection for left ear hearing loss and granted service connection for right ear hearing loss and tinnitus. The decision found that the Veteran's current hearing impairments did not meet VA compensation criteria, but conceded in-service noise exposure. Service connection was granted on a presumptive basis for right ear hearing loss due to continuous symptoms since separation from service.

The Veteran's claim of an increased rating for left ear hearing loss is remanded due to a pre-decisional error in failing to obtain VA medical records, specifically the audiometric testing results from February 2021.

The Veteran's tinnitus was granted service connection. The hearing loss disability issue is remanded for further examination.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is related to his military service and grants entitlement to service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's right ear hearing loss is due to service and the Board has granted his claim for service connection.

The Board has dismissed the appeal of a proposed reduction in the rating for bilateral hearing loss because the reduction was not yet effectuated.