Hearing loss decisions — 2024

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for grants of TDIU and DEA, finding that it is not factually ascertainable that the increase in disability occurred within one year prior to his September 22, 2021 claim.

The Board has dismissed all the issues of appeal due to the Veteran's withdrawal of his appeal.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, migraine headaches, tinnitus, hearing loss, and erectile dysfunction, precluded him from obtaining or maintaining a substantially gainful occupation prior to January 8, 2022. The Board has granted a TDIU effective from January 8, 2022 onward.

The Veteran's tinnitus was granted service connection. The Board found the evidence insufficient to establish service connection for bilateral hearing loss and remanded the issue.

The Board has found a pre-decisional duty to assist error and remanded the case for another examination to determine if the Veteran has bilateral hearing loss disability, including whether it is related to service.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation prior to September 23, 2019.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating and an effective date prior to December 8, 2019, for service connection of bilateral hearing loss was denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support granting a compensable rating or awarding an earlier effective date.

The Board has found that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of a throat disorder, skin disorder, vision disorder, hearing loss, or tinnitus. The claims for these conditions are REMANDED due to duty-to-assist errors.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right ear hearing loss is related to in-service acoustic trauma and grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus but has remanded the issue of service connection for bilateral hearing loss due to a lack of adequate medical opinion.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for erectile dysfunction as secondary to PTSD has been granted. The claims for increased ratings and service connection have been remanded.

The Board has remanded the claims for further development due to missing service treatment records and outstanding private medical records. The Veteran's SSN may be incorrect, and a search should be conducted using both correct and incorrect numbers.

The Veteran's left ear hearing loss was rated as noncompensable prior to May 16, 2022, and at a 10 percent rating thereafter. The Board denied the claim for higher ratings.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for left ear hearing loss, finding that there was no evidence linking his current condition to his active military service.

Service connection for bilateral hearing loss and bilateral pes planus is granted.,Compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 for bilateral pes planus is dismissed as the condition has already been service-connected.

The Board dismissed the appeals for bilateral hearing loss, hypertension, and PTSD as the Veteran withdrew his appeal for these issues.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including ischemic heart disease, PTSD, cervical degenerative joint disease with fusion C3-7, lumbosacral strain (low back pain), and various peripheral nerve conditions, meet the criteria for SMC at a higher rate due to their combined effect on his ability to perform daily activities.

The Veteran's hearing loss and GERD with hiatal hernia are being remanded for further evaluation due to the need for updated medical examinations.

The Veteran's tinnitus, hearing loss, low back disability, left foot hallux valgus, and right foot hallux valgus claims are remanded for additional development.

The Board has granted service connection for left ear hearing loss, right ear hearing loss, and bilateral tinnitus. The Veteran's current diagnoses are supported by medical evidence, and the Board found that his in-service noise exposure is likely a contributing factor to his current conditions.