Hearing loss decisions — 2024

The Board has found that the Veteran's tinnitus is related to his military service and has granted entitlement to service connection for tinnitus. The claim of service connection for bilateral hearing loss is remanded due to new evidence submitted after the June 2018 rating decision.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is related to his military service and the Board has granted service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings for PTSD and a TDIU prior to June 25, 2019 have been dismissed. The appeal for an effective date prior to June 25, 2019 for DEA benefits has also been dismissed.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss disability is related to his in-service hazardous noise exposure, and thus service connection for this condition is granted.

The Board has granted service connection for right ear hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are related to his military service.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was manifested by hearing acuity of no worse than Level I in the right ear and no worse than Level I in the left ear. Therefore, a compensable evaluation is denied.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for correction of a pre-decisional error regarding effective dates for TDIU and DEA. For the claims of higher ratings for tinnitus, bilateral hearing loss, and major depressive disorder, his current ratings are denied as there is no evidence to support higher evaluations.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied as he does not have a current disability that meets the VA criteria for hearing loss.

The Board denied an earlier effective date for the grant of TDIU due to lack of new and material evidence, as well as the fact that the Veteran did not appeal the initial rating assigned for PTSD.

The Veteran's claim for right ear hearing loss was denied as there is no current diagnosis of a hearing loss disability. The Veteran's residuals of an aortic dissection are rated at 60 percent, but not higher, due to preclusion of exertion.,For the entire period on appeal, the Veteran's PTSD symptoms more nearly approximate occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas; however, total occupational and social impairment has not been demonstrated. The Veteran is entitled to a separate rating for her chest scar from aortic dissection surgery.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss as the Veteran's preexisting hearing loss did not worsen during his active duty service.

The Veteran's TBI with depressive disorder, along with other service-connected disabilities, has rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation prior to August 16, 2022. Since then, he is in receipt of a 100% rating for his TBI and additional disabilities independently rated at over 60%, qualifying him for SMC at the housebound rate.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and knee disorders are remanded for further development, including obtaining an addendum opinion to address the etiology of these conditions.

The Veteran's service connection claims for left knee degenerative joint disease and initial compensable rating for service-connected left ear hearing loss have been denied. The Board has also remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for right ear hearing loss and migraines.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's appeals for increased rating and service connection claims due to his withdrawal of these appeals in an April 2024 statement.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection of a psychiatric disability, right knee disability, and lumbar spine disability. The claim for bilateral hearing loss was also denied as it did not meet the criteria for a compensable rating.

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn, and the Board is dismissing all issues related to service connection for various disabilities.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is remanded due to the failure to obtain Social Security Administration records, which may affect his eligibility for disability benefits. The case will be reconsidered with these records.

The Board has granted the Veteran's appeal for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that new evidence supports a link between these conditions and his military service.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus but remanded the issue of service connection for bilateral hearing loss due to a duty-to-assist error.