Hearing loss decisions — 2024

The Board has decided to remand the case due to an inadequate VA examination, and a new one must be conducted.

The Board has determined that there are pre-decisional duty to assist errors and remands the case for a new VA examination and opinion regarding the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss.

The appeal of the Veteran's claim for service connection for anxiety is dismissed as his PTSD, claimed as anxiety disorder, has been granted. The Board also denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability due to lack of evidence meeting VA criteria.

The Veteran's appeal for an initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss was dismissed because the Veteran did not file a timely Notice of Disagreement within one year after the February 2019 decision.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran experienced noise trauma in service and had continuity of symptoms since then.

The Veteran's tinnitus is granted service connection, but his bilateral hearing loss is denied as not related to service.

The Board has granted a 10 percent initial disability rating for service-connected bilateral hearing loss from December 18, 2020. The Veteran's hearing loss was previously rated as noncompensable prior to this date.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss due to noise exposure during service. The Veteran's left ear hearing loss is found not to have been aggravated by service, and his right ear hearing loss is presumed to be pre-existing.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss requires additional evidence, specifically the results of a December 2020 audiometric test. The case is being remanded to obtain this information.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate VA examinations and a need for a new examination to assess the current severity of the Veteran's service-connected right ear disability. The effective date remains pending as it is based on when the increase in disability can be determined.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that there is no link between his in-service noise exposure and his current diagnosed bilateral hearing loss.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss, left and right lower extremity conditions (claimed as neural neuropathies), are granted service connection. The claims for left shoulder surgery and lower back pain remain pending and will be remanded.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for left ear hearing loss, but with a noncompensable evaluation effective April 30, 2020. The Board also remanded several other issues related to various conditions.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss but has remanded the claim of service connection for COPD due to insufficient evidence.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for bilateral hearing loss was dismissed because the Notice of Disagreement was filed more than a decade after the original denial, which is beyond the one-year deadline.

The Board has denied service connection for left ear hearing loss and remanded the claims of right ear hearing loss and tinnitus due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the etiology of these conditions.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right ear hearing loss and tinnitus are service-connected, but left ear hearing loss is remanded for further examination to determine if it was aggravated by service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that there was not sufficient evidence to support a link between his current hearing disability and his military service.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss and unspecified depressive disorder do not render him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment, as his disabilities are compensated by the assigned schedular ratings.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss as there is no current diagnosis of a qualifying hearing loss disability for VA purposes.