Hearing loss decisions — 2024

The Board has remanded the claims of entitlement to service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to a duty to assist error in the January 2023 VA examination. The examiner's opinion was based on an inaccurate factual premise regarding the use of ASA or ISO/ANSI standards during in-service audiometric testing.

The appeal with respect to asbestosis is dismissed. Service connection for tinnitus is granted, and a compensable rating for bilateral eye disability is denied. The appeals regarding hearing loss, an acquired psychiatric disorder, left shoulder disability, and upper back/cervical spine disability are remanded.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to his active duty service, granting entitlement to service connection for both conditions.

The Board denied the Veteran's request for an earlier effective date of service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that the date entitlement arose on October 22, 2020.

The Board has dismissed the appeals of the Veteran's claims for increased evaluations of bilateral hearing loss and posttraumatic stress disorder. The appeal regarding service connection for right lower extremity peripheral neuropathy (claimed as blockage) is remanded, and so is the one for left lower extremity peripheral neuropathy.

The Board has decided to remand the cases of bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to insufficient evidence in the January 2018 VA examination report.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that there is no evidence to support a nexus between these conditions and his military service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied, and the claims for OSA, low back disability, and left lower extremity radiculopathy are remanded due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal, including the hearing request, before a decision was made. As a result, the appeal is dismissed.

The Board has granted service connection for right ear hearing loss, but denied left ear hearing loss. The decision finds that the Veteran's right ear hearing loss is at least as likely as not related to his noise exposure during service.

The Board has denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that the Veteran's current hearing loss disability was not incurred in or related to his military service.

The Board has granted service connection for right ear hearing loss, but denied service connection for left ear hearing loss due to lack of evidence meeting VA thresholds for a current disability.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further action regarding his TDIU claim due to incomplete records from the Social Security Administration (SSA).

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and OSA. The Veteran's current conditions are found to be at least as likely as not related to his military service.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for right ear hearing loss and has remanded his claims for left knee disability, specifically left knee limitation of flexion and extension.

The Board has denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and remanded the issues of service connection for degenerative joint disease (DJD) of the right ankle, generalized anxiety disorder, and depressive disorder.

The Veteran's tinnitus was granted service connection as it had its onset during his military service. Service connection for bilateral hearing loss, left knee disorder, right knee disorder, headache disorder, eczema, chronic dermatitis, abdominal pain-related disorder, lumbar spine disorder, lumbar radiculopathy of the lower extremities, and bilateral pes planus was denied as there is no evidence to support these conditions during or after his military service.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claims for service connection for a back disability and tinnitus, but denied his claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss.

The Veteran's service connection claims for bilateral hearing loss, leukemia, and an acquired psychiatric disability (claimed as unspecified anxiety disorder) are being remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions.,Specifically, a VA examination is required to determine if the Veteran's current diagnoses of bilateral hearing loss, leukemia, and unspecified anxiety disorder are related to his service.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to insufficient medical opinions and evidence regarding the etiology of the claimed disabilities. The Veteran's reported stressors during service are also under review.