Hearing loss decisions — 2024

The Veteran's appeal for an increased rating for bilateral hearing loss was denied due to the untimely filing of his higher-level review request.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is related to his active military service, including noise exposure. As a result, the claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is granted.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is related to his active military service, including noise exposure. As a result, the claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is granted.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim of entitlement to an increased disability evaluation for bilateral hearing loss. The claims of service connection for TBI and erectile dysfunction, as secondary to PTSD, are remanded due to a lack of VA examinations.

The Board has determined that there are errors in the pre-decisional duty to assist and remands are necessary for service connection claims related to brain cancer, prostate cancer, erectile dysfunction secondary to prostate cancer, gynecomastia, and bilateral hearing loss due to potential exposure to ionizing radiation during service.

The Veteran's dysthymic disorder is currently rated as 10 percent disabling, and the Board has determined that a higher rating is not warranted.,The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is currently rated as non-compensable (0 percent), and the Board has found that a compensable rating is not warranted.

The Board has decided that the VA did not have all necessary records to make a decision on the increased rating for bilateral hearing loss. Therefore, they need to obtain the audiogram from March 11, 2019, and any related medical records before making a new decision.

The Board denied the Veteran's request for an earlier effective date for the grant of total disability due to individual unemployability (TDIU) prior to November 10, 2015. The evidence did not show that she was unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment solely due to her service-connected disabilities before this date.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied because he does not meet the criteria for a VA disability under 38 C.F.R. § 3.385.

The Veteran seeks an earlier effective date for TDIU and DEA benefits due to service-connected disabilities. The Board has remanded the claims as there is insufficient evidence to substantiate a reasonable possibility that the Veteran is unemployable by reason of his service-connected disabilities, but the failure to refer the issue of entitlement to a TDIU prior to June 20, 2017 to the Director was an error in satisfying a regulatory duty.

The Board has granted service connection for right knee strain, pseudofolliculitis barbae, bilateral hearing loss, bilateral elbow strain, and sleep apnea. The evidence is approximately evenly balanced as to whether these disabilities began during active service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the eligibility criteria for PCAFC benefits as they are rated at less than 70% combined.

The Veteran's tinnitus is granted as service-connected.,Bilateral hearing loss is not granted as service-connected.,Diabetes mellitus, type II, is not granted as service-connected.,Right shoulder acromioclavicular joint osteoarthritis is not granted as service-connected.,Left shoulder acromioclavicular joint osteoarthritis is not granted as service-connected.,Left hip arthritis is not granted as service-connected.

The Veteran's claims for clothing allowances were denied because the evidence did not show that her knee braces or cane caused damage to her outer garments, and shoes are not considered clothing for VA purposes.,The Veteran was found to have multiple service-connected disabilities including PTSD, lumbosacral strain, bilateral hearing loss and bronchitis, right and left knee conditions, tinnitus, and radiculopathy. However, the evidence did not show that her knee braces or cane caused damage to her outer garments.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus is granted. The Board has also remanded the claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss due to a lack of an adequate medical opinion.

Service connection is granted for tinnitus. The issue of service connection for bilateral hearing loss is remanded.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD with sleep disorder, bilateral glaucoma, tinnitus, and foot disability, render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation. The Board has granted the TDIU claim.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss, finding that the evidence is in equipoise as to whether these conditions are related to active duty service.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's headaches and right ear hearing loss do not warrant a compensable rating, but has remanded for further evaluation. The TDIU claim is also being remanded.

The Veteran's hearing loss disability was rated at 0 percent since October 2019. The Board found that the audiometric data did not show an increase in severity, and thus denied his claim for a higher rating.