Hearing loss decisions — 2024

The Veteran's claim for a higher initial rating of 100 percent for coronary artery disease (CAD) has been granted. Service connection for bilateral hearing loss and bilateral tinnitus have also been established.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the onset of these conditions during military service.

The Board has denied service connection for tinnitus due to lack of evidence linking the condition to military noise exposure. The hearing loss claim is remanded as the VA examiner's opinion was inadequate.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and vocal chord dysfunction due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to his military service. The case is being remanded for further examination and consideration.

The Veteran's recurrent urethritis is granted a 40 percent rating, effective June 22, 2023. The right ear high frequency hearing loss remains noncompensable.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, to include as due to service-connected tinnitus, should be remanded for further development and consideration.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that the Veteran's current disability is at least as likely as not related to his military noise exposure. The decision resolves all reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran.

The Board denied service connection for a bilateral hearing loss disability and granted service connection for tinnitus. The denial of the hearing loss claim is based on the absence of evidence showing a current disability, while the grant of tinnitus is due to credible lay statements indicating in-service onset.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss disability does not meet the criteria for service connection as defined by VA regulations.,Regarding type II diabetes mellitus, there is no evidence of its presence within one year after separation from service and continuity of symptomatology is not established.

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

The Veteran's appeal for an increased rating for tinnitus and service connection for bilateral hearing loss was denied. The Board found no legal basis to grant a higher schedular rating for tinnitus, as the maximum available rating is already assigned. For bilateral hearing loss, the evidence did not establish in-service onset or continuity of symptomatology sufficient to meet the criteria for presumptive service connection.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that his pre-existing condition did not undergo an increase in severity during service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to potential incomplete medical records and the need for VA examinations.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is remanded due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error. The Board finds that an adequate VA examination and opinion are needed to assess the nature and etiology of his hearing loss.

The Board has denied service connection for right ear hearing loss due to the lack of a current disability meeting VA criteria. The claims for left ear hearing loss and tinnitus are remanded as there is insufficient evidence regarding their relationship to service.

The Board has restored the Veteran's 90 percent rating for bilateral hearing loss, effective June 1, 2024. The decision is based on a recent audiometric examination that showed improved speech recognition scores compared to previous examinations.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss did not meet the criteria for a compensable rating during the period on appeal.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are granted as service-connected, with the Board finding that there is a reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran.

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

The Veteran's hypertension is not rated as compensable due to the need for continuous medication, but current blood pressure readings do not meet the criteria for a compensable rating.,Service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are remanded due to insufficient evidence.