Hearing loss decisions — 2024

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for increased ratings and earlier effective dates in a May 2024 Board hearing, effectively dismissing all related issues.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right ear hearing loss began during active service and is granted as service connected.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, bilateral hearing loss, right shoulder condition, left shoulder condition, right leg condition, and left leg condition. The claims are denied for aggravation of pes planus.

The Board has remanded the claims for bilateral hearing loss, left hand condition, and right hand condition due to potential errors in duty to assist. The Veteran's service connection claims are related to exposure at Camp Lejeune.

The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 10 percent for tinnitus is denied as the disability is already at its maximum schedular rating.,Service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied because there is no current evidence of a hearing loss disability under VA regulations.,Service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD and anxiety, is denied due to lack of a diagnosed current disability conforming to the DSM-5 criteria.,Service connection for lumbar spine degenerative arthritis is denied as the condition is less likely than not related to active duty service.

The Veteran's hypertension is rated as noncompensable, and the Board has determined that a compensable rating is not warranted.,The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disorder and bilateral cataract disorder are remanded for further review due to inadequate opinions in the initial decision.,The Veteran's chest scar is rated as noncompensable, and the Board has determined that a compensable rating is not warranted.

The Board has dismissed the appeals of the deferred claims for hearing loss, PTSD, and a back disorder as they do not constitute an adjudicative determination from which an appeal may be filed.

The Veteran's bilateral tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss are granted as service-connected due to in-service noise exposure.

The appeal is dismissed due to the appellant's death during the pendency of the appeal.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right ear hearing loss is related to noise exposure during his military service, and thus remands the case for further examination and opinion.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a duty-to-assist error in the April and September 2018 VA examinations, which did not consider the Veteran's noise exposure during service.

The Board has denied service connection for right ear hearing loss due to lack of evidence meeting VA's definition of a disability. The claims for plantar fasciitis, hypertension, and diverticulitis are remanded as the duty to assist was not fulfilled.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability is related to in-service acoustic trauma and granted service connection for this condition.

Your appeals for service connection and disability evaluations have been dismissed due to the failure to file a timely substantive appeal.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for hearing loss, vision disorder (blurry vision), psychiatric disorder (depression and anxiety), left ankle sprain, and right ankle sprain due to potential errors in the initial decision-making process.

The Veteran's appeal for higher ratings and earlier effective dates for PTSD and bilateral hearing loss has been denied. Service connection for tinnitus was granted.

An initial 30 percent rating for rhinitis is granted.,Service connection for hearing loss is granted, but service connection for a sleep-related disability and headaches is denied. The claim of service connection for headaches is remanded.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for tinnitus has been denied, and the Board has determined that a remand is necessary to address his service connection claim for bilateral hearing loss due to potential pre-existing conditions.

The appeals for service connection for tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss have been dismissed due to the Veteran's death.

The Veteran's tinnitus was granted service connection. Service connection for left ear hearing loss and right ear hearing loss was denied, as well as a compensable rating for left hip flexion disability and service connection for celiac syndrome and GERD.