Hearing loss decisions — 2024

The Board has granted service connection for unspecified depressive disorder and denied service connection for erectile dysfunction, bilateral hearing loss, narcolepsy (loss of consciousness), fecal incontinence, and hemorrhoids. The Veteran's claim for an initial compensable rating for fecal incontinence was also denied.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim of service connection for right ear hearing loss due to lack of evidence showing a nexus between his active service and current disability. The case is remanded for further consideration of left ear hearing loss, as it was noted at entry but not during service.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings were denied across multiple conditions, including IBS, left shoulder disability, knee disabilities, and varicose veins. The Board found that the evidence did not support higher ratings under applicable diagnostic codes.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, claimed as PTSD, is service connected.,Bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are also service connected.

The Board has decided to remand the cases of service connection for right ear and left ear hearing loss due to duty-to-assist errors. The Veteran's claims are being returned to the RO for further action.

The Board has dismissed the appellant's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus as untimely filed, following a one-year appeal period since the October 2019 rating decision.

Your claims for service connection for tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss have been dismissed due to the Veteran's death. The appeal is not valid as a result.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities require the care or assistance of another on a regular basis, and the Board has granted entitlement to special monthly compensation (SMC) based on the need for regular aid and attendance.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and secondary service connection have been granted. The effective dates are not specified, but the decisions indicate that these benefits were awarded as of January 27, 2017 (for diabetes) and June 8, 2018 (for other conditions).

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and an acquired psychiatric disorder to include PTSD due to a lack of adequate notice regarding scheduled VA examinations. The Veteran's current left knee disability is denied as there is no evidence showing it began during active service or is otherwise related to in-service injury.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied as he does not have a current disability.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus is denied as the evidence is against finding that it first manifested during or within one year of separation from active duty, and there is no nexus to his in-service noise exposure.

The Board has granted the Veteran's requests to readjudicate his claims for service connection for tinnitus and remanded his claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that there is no current disability of these conditions and insufficient evidence to establish a link between them and his military service.

The Board denied the claim of service connection for cause of death, finding that there was no evidence to support a causal link between the Veteran's service-connected conditions and his death.

The Veteran's eligibility for PCAFC benefits is being remanded due to the need for personal care services, as determined by VA medical providers. The decision on whether the program is in his best interest will be reconsidered.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's appeals for service connection of bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus as there is no valid appeal to review.

The Veteran's appeal for higher-level review of the April 3, 2020 decision is being remanded due to an error in applying the correct standard of new and relevant evidence.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability has been rated as noncompensable, and the claim for a higher rating is denied.,The Veteran's hypertension associated with herbicide exposure has not met the criteria for a compensable rating. The claim for an initial compensable rating is denied.,The VA examiner found it less likely than not that the Veteran's bilateral lower extremity neuropathy is related to his toxic exposures, including herbicide agent exposure and MOS-related exposure. The claim for service connection is remanded.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that these conditions are at least as likely as not related to the Veteran's active military service.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that the evidence is at least in approximate balance and supports a finding of current bilateral hearing loss due to noise exposure during military service.