Hearing loss decisions — 2024

The Veteran's TDIU claim is remanded due to a duty to assist error involving private medical records and workers' compensation records. The AOJ must attempt to obtain these records before considering the merits of the claim.

The Board has denied the Veteran's requests for earlier effective dates of March 10, 2022 for service connection awards of bilateral hearing loss disability and tinnitus.

The Board has granted a rating of 20 percent for left ear hearing loss and denied an initial compensable rating for left foot hallux valgus.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that the Veteran's current diagnosis is related to his active service despite a lack of in-service evidence of hearing loss.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable evaluation for bilateral hearing loss is denied as his hearing acuity does not meet the criteria for any higher rating.

The Board has denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and headaches, but granted service connection for tinnitus. The decision is remanded due to the lack of evidence meeting VA compensation criteria for hearing loss.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, right knee and left knee conditions, hearing loss, tinnitus, and back issues, rendered him unable to secure or maintain substantially gainful employment from September 25, 2017, to January 14, 2020. The Board granted the Veteran's claim for TDIU based on these disabilities.

Service connection is granted for bilateral hearing loss and an initial rating of 70 percent for PTSD. Service connection is denied for a lower back condition and tinnitus is dismissed.

The Board has remanded the case for a new VA medical opinion to determine if the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to service. The current evidence does not establish a nexus between these conditions and service.

The Board has denied service connection for hypertension, and the claims of service connection for right foot pain, left foot pain, right elbow condition with pain, and bilateral hearing loss are remanded.,The Veteran's hypertension is not related to his military service. The VA did not provide a VA examination as required by McLendon v. Nicholson.

The Veteran's appeal for VA home loan guaranty benefits was denied because his service did not meet the minimum duration requirement, and he did not qualify for an exception to this rule due to a service-connected disability.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error. The Veteran's current disabilities are conceded, but there is conflicting evidence regarding their etiology.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and a gastrointestinal disorder due to duty-to-assist errors. The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for tinnitus is denied as he was already in receipt of the earliest available effective date.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's tinnitus began during active service and is related to military noise exposure. However, it denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss due to a lack of evidence showing its onset within one year of separation from service or being otherwise related to service.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and Meniere's disease due to a duty-to-assist error. The Veteran's in-service noise exposure is conceded.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss has been denied. The Board finds the evidence does not support a higher rating, as his current level of hearing acuity is at worst Level II in both ears. For left cubital tunnel syndrome and radiculopathy of the left upper extremity, the claims are remanded due to insufficient development or examination.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for specially adapted housing or a special home adaptation grant as they do not result in loss of use of extremities, blindness in both eyes, full thickness or subdermal burns, or an inhalation injury.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for chronic fatigue syndrome and bilateral hearing loss due to incomplete examinations and a need for additional medical opinions. The Veteran is seeking service connection for these conditions, with particular emphasis on environmental exposures during his Southwest Asia deployment.

The Board has granted service connection for right ear hearing loss on a direct basis, as the Veteran's current condition is presumed to have been incurred in service due to continuous symptoms since separation.

Service connection for tinnitus is granted as the Veteran's MOS of aircraft maintenance indicates exposure to noise during service.,Service connection for asthma is granted as the onset was during service and supported by VA examination findings. The examiner noted no evidence of respiratory condition or shortness of breath while in service.,Service connection for anemia is denied due to lack of current diagnosis, with no competent evidence linking it to military service.,Service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied as there are no audiometric findings meeting the criteria for a disability. The Veteran's hearing was found normal during VA examination.,Service connection for left eye disability (retinal hemorrhage, choroidal nevi, bilateral vitreous floaters) is granted due to presumed exposure under PACT Act.