Hearing loss decisions — 2024

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for bilateral hearing loss from January 2, 2020 is denied. The Board also granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea as secondary to his service-connected diabetes mellitus type 2.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that the Veteran's current hearing loss is not related to his military service and did not manifest within a presumptive period.

The Veteran's service connection claims for an acquired psychiatric disorder (MDD, anxiety, PTSD) and bilateral hearing loss have been granted. The Board finds the evidence at least in approximate balance regarding whether these conditions began during or were aggravated by service.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for bilateral knee and left ear hearing loss were denied. The maximum schedular rating of 20% was assigned for both knees, and the noncompensable rating (0%) was maintained for his left ear hearing loss.

The Veteran's service connection claims for injury to left eye, back pain (upper and lower), bilateral foot pain, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus have been denied.,Specifically, the Board found that there is no credible evidence linking any of these conditions to service.

The Veteran's left ear hearing loss is currently rated at 0 percent, and the Board has denied an increased rating.,The Veteran's varicocele (hydrocele) is currently rated at 0 percent. The AOJ failed to obtain relevant private medical records related to this condition prior to issuing its November 2020 rating decision.

The Veteran's claim for bilateral hearing loss is denied as she does not have a current diagnosis of hearing loss for VA purposes.,The Veteran's tinnitus was found to have begun in service and has persisted, with the Board finding that reasonable doubt must be resolved in her favor.

The Veteran's appeal is dismissed as his claim for service connection for a respiratory disability has been granted. The claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss, bilateral flat feet, tinnitus, and skin rash are remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions.

The Veteran has withdrawn her appeals for higher ratings in the cases of migraine headaches, sinusitis, allergic rhinitis, and bilateral hearing loss.

The Board has decided to remand the cases of tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss for further examination and opinion due to a lack of sufficient detail in the previous VA examination report.

The Veteran's service connection claims for myasthenia gravis, hearing loss in the left ear, and tinnitus are granted. The claim for right ear hearing loss is denied.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and right thumb disability were evaluated, but his claims for tinea pedis, residuals of gonorrhea, and herpes simplex remain pending as the appeal is remanded.

The Board has granted service connection for right ear hearing loss, finding that the Veteran's current condition is etiologically related to acoustic trauma sustained in active service. The appeal was based on a presumption of service connection due to continuous symptoms since service.

The Veteran's appeal for a higher initial rating for his bilateral hearing loss disability is being remanded due to duty-to-assist errors in the VA records. The case will be returned for obtaining missing audiogram results and scheduling a new VA examination.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability has not been rated higher than noncompensable.,The Veteran's right knee joint osteoarthritis with limited flexion does not meet the criteria for a compensable rating.

The Veteran's tinnitus is granted as service-connected.,Bilateral hearing loss and IBS are denied as not related to service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that there was no evidence of in-service noise exposure or chronic symptoms within one year post-service discharge. The Board concluded that any current hearing loss and tinnitus were less likely due to military service.,The decision also noted that the Veteran did not report experiencing hearing issues during service and had normal audiograms at separation, with only mild hearing loss reported after service.

The Board has determined that new and relevant evidence has been received for the Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, which were previously denied in July 2018. The claims are being remanded to allow for a new examination and evaluation.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss, a chronic disease, had its onset during service and continues to this day. As such, the claim for service connection is granted.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss was received on August 22, 2019. The Board has granted an earlier effective date of August 22, 2019, but no earlier, for the award of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and remanded for a determination of an appropriate initial rating.