Hearing loss decisions — 2024

The Veteran's claim for tinnitus has been granted, as the evidence supports a finding that his current tinnitus is at least as likely as not related to in-service noise exposure.,The Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss and left lower extremity radiculopathy have been remanded due to insufficient medical opinions regarding their etiology.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's appeals for service connection on all issues due to an error in docketing within the AMA system.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus and remanded the cases of bilateral hearing loss and left knee condition.

The Veteran's hearing loss is currently rated as noncompensable. The Board has remanded the case for a new VA examination to determine if his service-connected disabilities prevent him from securing and maintaining substantially gainful employment.

The Board has granted service connection for schizophrenia and right ear hearing loss, finding that the evidence is at least in balance as to whether these conditions are related to service. The Veteran's schizophrenia began during active service, while his right ear hearing loss disability is presumed to be due to exposure to loud noise during service.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for service connection of somatic symptom disorder with insomnia associated with tinnitus and hearing loss is denied as the criteria are not met.

The Veteran's hypertension and bilateral hearing loss claims are remanded due to incomplete service records. The decision on the rating for hypertension remains denied.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for right shoulder disorder, left shoulder disorder, and bilateral hearing loss. The appeal for TDIU was also denied as there is no evidence showing that the Veteran is unemployable due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's death was attributed to multiple blunt force injuries sustained in a motorcycle accident, not related to his service-connected conditions. The Board found no evidence linking the cause of death to active duty or service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's left and right knee disabilities are granted as secondary to his service-connected lumbar spine disability. The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss claim is denied due to lack of current diagnosis. The Veteran's radiculopathy of the right upper extremity and cervical spinal stenosis with cervical fusion claims are denied.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for TMJ and bilateral hearing loss, finding no current disabilities or a nexus to service.

The Veteran's bilateral lower extremity peripheral neuropathy and hearing loss claims are remanded due to inconsistencies in the VA examination report.

The Board has granted service connection for left ear hearing loss but denied service connection for tinnitus. The Veteran's left ear hearing loss is related to in-service acoustic noise exposure, while her tinnitus does not appear to be related to active service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for anxiety and depression was dismissed because the grant of service connection for anxiety disorder with panic attacks in a February 2024 rating decision represented a full grant of benefits. The Veteran's claim for bilateral hearing loss is granted.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for lumbar spine condition, right knee disability, right toe condition, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus as there is no evidence of a current disability or link to military service.,Service treatment records did not show any complaints or diagnoses related to these conditions. Post-service medical records also lacked relevant findings.

The Board has restored a 20 percent rating for the Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss, effective December 28, 2020. The reduction from 20 percent to noncompensable was not supported by evidence showing actual improvement in the ability to function under ordinary conditions of life and work.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus have been dismissed as the Veteran withdrew his appeal prior to a decision being made.

The Veteran's tinnitus is granted service connection, and his left ear hearing loss is denied a compensable rating.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for left knee disorder and bilateral hearing loss, finding no current disability or evidence of in-service injury that could be linked to these conditions.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and sarcoidosis due to new evidence received since the July 2019 rating decision. The Veteran's tinnitus claim is granted.