Hearing loss decisions — 2024

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a TDIU prior to November 15, 2022 due to his service-connected disabilities as they did not prevent him from securing and following substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's left ear hearing loss, persistent otorrhea, and chronic serous otitis media are not service-connected due to lack of additional disability caused by the 1987 parotidectomy.,Total erectile dysfunction and voiding dysfunction were not service-connected as they predated the surgeries in question.

The Board has remanded the cases for consideration of new and material evidence in relation to the Veteran's claims for gastritis, generalized anxiety disorder with panic attack, and bilateral hearing loss.

The Veteran's previously denied claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, right shoulder disability, skin disability, impaired vision, and colon polyps have been reopened. Service connection is granted for the skin disability (eczema). The other issues remain denied.

The Veteran was employed in a substantially gainful occupation prior to August 2, 2016. Therefore, the claim for TDIU is denied as he did not meet the criteria for a TDIU due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for bilateral hearing loss has been denied. The Board has also remanded the issue of service connection for hypertension, finding that a new medical opinion is necessary to determine if it is related to service or exposure to herbicide agents.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for further development due to incomplete STRs and other missing records. The Veteran is entitled to service connection for tinnitus, but his claim remains pending on all other issues.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete service records and a need for further examination. The Veteran's claim of service connection for bilateral hearing loss is pending.

The Board has granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including major depressive disorder and anxiety disorder. Service connection was also established for tinnitus, radiculopathy of the right lower extremity, radiculopathy of the left lower extremity, and left ear hearing loss effective January 18, 2018.

The Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for service connection are denied.,The Veteran's claims for increased initial ratings and effective dates for his service-connected disabilities are remanded.

The Board has found that further development is needed, including consideration of new evidence and issuance of a Supplemental Statement of the Case (SSOC). The claims for service connection for various disabilities are being remanded to allow for this additional review.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is due to acoustic trauma incurred during active service and grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's right ear disorder and other conditions were denied service connection, while some of his knee disabilities received separate evaluations.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for a lumbar spine disability and bilateral hearing loss due to additional development being required. The claim for service connection for a lumbar spine disability is denied as there is no evidence of chronicity during or within presumptive periods after service, and continuity of symptomatology since separation from service is not established. The claim for bilateral hearing loss remains remanded.

The Veteran's appeal includes claims for increased ratings and service connection related to multiple conditions, including PTSD, TBI, low back disability, radiculopathy of the sciatic nerve, hearing loss, and a left orbital contusion. The Board has determined that these issues require additional development due to incomplete records and need further examination.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's service connection claims, including reopening of claims for low back disability, left shoulder disability, and bilateral hearing loss. The rating for an acquired psychiatric disability is also being remanded.

The Veteran's appeal for a compensable disability rating for left ear hearing loss on an extraschedular basis was denied, and the claim for TDIU from August 1, 2007 to July 30, 2008 was granted.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is at least as likely as not related to in-service hazardous noise exposure, and therefore grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's claims of service connection for right ear and left ear hearing loss due to his death during the appeal process.

The Board has not fully complied with previous remand directives and thus the cases are being returned to the RO for further development, including obtaining private treatment records from Kaiser Permanente.