Hearing loss decisions — 2024

The Board has remanded the claims for bilateral hearing loss disability, tinnitus, and headaches due to potential errors in the medical opinions provided. The Veteran's service connection requests are being reviewed again with new or additional evidence.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, hypertension, sleep disorder, and neck pain as there is no evidence of current disabilities or a relationship to service.,Service records did not show any complaints, treatment, or diagnoses related to these conditions.

Service connection is granted for lumbar spine osteoarthritis, right foot onychomycosis, left foot onychomycosis, right ear hearing loss, and left ear hearing loss.,Service connection is remanded for PTSD and headaches.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for eligibility for automobile or other conveyance and adaptive equipment, or adaptive equipment only due to lack of physical loss or permanent loss of use of hands or feet, permanent impairment of vision in both eyes, scar formation resulting from severe burn injury, or ankylosis of knees or hips.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for left ear hearing loss, cervical spondylosis, OSA, and sinus disorder is denied. The Board found no new and relevant evidence to support the claims.

The Board has remanded the claims for hearing loss and tinnitus due to inadequate medical opinions regarding their etiology.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for bilateral hearing loss has been withdrawn.,Service connection for tinnitus is granted, as the evidence shows it had onset in service and persisted since.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date prior to August 10, 2020 for service connection for PTSD was dismissed as the effective date of February 13, 2020 had already been granted.,An earlier effective date of February 13, 2020 was granted for the Veteran's left ear hearing loss claim. The Veteran filed his intent to file a claim on February 13, 2020 and submitted his formal claim within one year.

The Veteran's initial noncompensable rating for service-connected bilateral hearing loss is denied as the evidence does not support a compensable evaluation based on his audiometric test results.

The Board has dismissed the appeals for increased rating for PTSD, service connection for bilateral hearing loss, and TDIU due to service-connected disability as the appellant's representative requested withdrawal of the appeal.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is not service-connected as there was no in-service hearing impairment that resulted in a current disability.,The Veteran's chronic left and right foot pain are not service-connected due to the lack of evidence showing an in-service injury or event, and the absence of any post-service medical treatment for these conditions.

The Board has granted effective dates of March 30, 2021 for the grant of service connection for bilateral hearing loss, CAD, bronchitis, and hypertension. The effective date is based on the date each claim was first raised by the Veteran.

Your appeal has been dismissed because the appellant died during the pendency of this case. The Board does not have jurisdiction to proceed with your claims.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability, finding that it is related to his active duty service.

The Board has determined that the evidence is in equipoise as to whether the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to his active service, thus granting service connection for both conditions.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and a TDIU are remanded due to duty-to-assist errors. The hearing transcript is associated with the case, but VA treatment records from Community Care providers were not obtained prior to the July 2023 decision.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral sensorineural hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current hearing loss is not causally related to his active-duty service.

The Veteran's hearing loss is granted as service connected. The Board finds the claim for sleep apnea secondary to obesity, which is a result of an already service-connected condition, should be remanded for further development.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is currently rated at 20 percent, the maximum rating available under DC 6100. The Board found that the evidence does not support a higher rating.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the etiology of the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss. The matter is now before the Board for further development and consideration.