Hearing loss decisions — 2024

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that his current condition is at least as likely as not related to his military service.

The appellant withdrew his appeal regarding the issue of an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for a left ear hearing loss disability.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied because he does not have a current disability as defined by VA regulations.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is denied as there is no evidence of a current disability or in-service incurrence.,The Veteran's hypertension does not meet the criteria for an initial compensable rating, as his diastolic pressure has never been predominantly 100 or more and he requires no continuous medication.,The Veteran's chronic kidney disease does not meet the criteria for an initial compensable rating, as it has not resulted in constant or recurring albumin with hyaline and granular casts or red blood cells.,There is no legal basis to assign a disability rating in excess of 10 percent for multiple, noncompensable service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's burial transportation expenses are granted as he was buried in a national cemetery and had service-connected disabilities at the time of his death.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for his service-connected bilateral hearing loss was denied by the Board. The evidence did not meet the criteria for exceptional hearing loss or consideration under VA regulations, and the Veteran's disability rating remains at 0 percent.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus on a secondary basis. The Veteran's current disabilities are considered to be related to his military service.

The Veteran's non-Hodgkin's lymphoma is rated at 100% due to remission. Service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, psychiatric disorder (chronic pain/mental health), right hip disorder, left hip disability, and cervical strain are all denied.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, right wrist disorder, and right arm disorder due to incomplete records and duty-to-assist errors.

The Veteran's tinnitus is granted as service connected, while his bilateral hearing loss and migraine headaches are denied. The Veteran also has a grant of service connection for chronic sinusitis with allergic rhinitis but an initial non-compensable rating for meibomian gland dysfunction resulting in dry eye syndrome.

The appeal for an increased rating for bilateral hearing loss is dismissed.,Service connection for hypertension is granted on a direct basis.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability is not rated compensably due to the current level of impairment.,Service connection for an insomnia disorder, secondary to service-connected bipolar disorder, has been granted.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including asthma, cervical spine degenerative joint disease, bilateral knee degenerative joint disease, left ear hearing loss, and lumbar spine degenerative arthritis, prevented him from obtaining and maintaining substantially gainful employment consistent with his educational and vocational experience. The Board granted TDIU effective September 25, 2018.

The Veteran's tinnitus and ischemic heart disease have been granted service connection. The decision regarding bilateral hearing loss is pending as the case has been remanded.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is related to service and grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's TDIU was granted effective May 15, 2020 due to his service-connected disabilities. The effective date is tied to the date of his claim for service connection for hypothyroidism.

The Veteran's left wrist fracture residuals are related to his active service. The claims for right ear hearing loss and tinnitus are remanded.

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

The Board denied the Veteran's appeal as his substantive appeal was untimely filed, and thus the RO could not accept it. The Veteran had until February 26, 2020 to file a formal appeal but did not do so within the time limit.

The Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss, back condition (claimed as tailbone injury), ear condition (claimed as eardrum injury/pain and severe ear infection right ear, otitis media), neck condition, back condition, left knee condition, and bilateral elbow injury are denied. The claim for bilateral foot fungus is granted.