Hearing loss decisions — 2024

The Veteran's tinnitus is granted as service connection due to continuity of symptomatology since discharge.,Service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied because the evidence does not establish a nexus between in-service noise exposure and current hearing loss.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities result in the loss of use of both lower extremities, necessitating the use of a cane or wheelchair as a normal mode of locomotion. The Board has granted eligibility for specially adapted housing based on this finding.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence and need for further medical examination. The appellant is seeking service connection for various conditions, including hearing loss, tinnitus, atrial fibrillation, heart failure, amyloidosis, prostate cancer, Parkinson's disease, and cortico basal degeneration, all potentially related to in-service exposure to toxins.

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 link between these conditions and his military service.

Service connection is denied for a right shoulder condition, back disability, ingrown toenails of the left and right feet, eye condition (refractive error), hearing loss, respiratory condition, digestive condition, and chronic fatigue syndrome.,Service connection is granted for tinnitus and depression with anxiety.

The Board has remanded the claims for additional service treatment records from October 1976 to July 1979. The appellant's current hearing loss disability in either ear does not meet VA criteria, and his other conditions have not been established as service-connected.

The Board denied service connection for right ear hearing loss and left ear hearing loss, finding that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of hearing loss disability for VA purposes and there is no evidence linking his hearing loss to in-service noise exposure or toxic exposures.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability is related to his period of active duty service, and thus grants entitlement to service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's claim for PTSD has been reopened and granted.,The Veteran's claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder has been reopened and granted.,The Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss and low back disability have been denied as new and material evidence was not received within one year of the decision.,The Veteran's claim for a right wrist disability is denied due to lack of evidence linking the condition to service.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling examinations.

The Veteran's appeal for special monthly compensation (SMC) based on housebound status or need for regular aid and attendance prior to December 14, 2019 was denied as his service-connected disabilities did not render him so helpless that he required regular assistance.

The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including right ear hearing loss, left ear hearing loss, a back disability, a brain tumor, bilateral eye disorder, a right knee disability, tinnitus, and a headache disorder. The decision found that the Veteran's preexisting hearing loss did not increase in severity during service.

The Board has dismissed the appeals for service connection of a left eye disability, bilateral hearing loss disability, and tinnitus. The appeal for service connection of an acquired psychiatric disorder is remanded.

The Veteran's appeal for a rating higher than 70 percent for PTSD has been dismissed.,An earlier effective date of September 29, 2015 has been granted for the 70 percent rating for PTSD.,An earlier effective date of September 29, 2015 has also been granted for TDIU.,Special monthly compensation (SMC) pursuant to 38 U.S.C. § 1114(s) has been granted from November 1, 2018.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to service exposure to noise, resulting in a grant of service connection for both conditions.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are remanded due to incomplete service treatment records and the need for additional examinations.

The Veteran's appeal for hypertension has been dismissed as the claim was granted in a November 2023 rating decision.,The Veteran's tinnitus is rated at 10% and no higher, based on current symptoms and VA regulations.

The Veteran's service-connected depressive disorder alone precludes him from securing or following substantially gainful employment, and he is granted a TDIU. He also meets the criteria for SMC at the housebound rate due to his other service-connected disabilities. The issue of entitlement to special monthly compensation based on aid and attendance is remanded.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are granted as service connection is established due to in-service noise exposure.,Service connection for the back disability, left hip disability, and right hip disability is granted as these conditions are found to be caused or aggravated by his service-connected bilateral knee disabilities.

The Veteran's tinnitus is granted as service-connected.,High cholesterol is not considered a disability for VA compensation purposes and thus, the claim for this condition is denied.,The Board has remanded the claims for lumbar spine disability, right shoulder disability, right knee disability, right ankle disability, bilateral hearing loss, right eye disability, and heart disability to obtain medical opinions regarding their etiology.,The Veteran's PTSD remains at a 30 percent rating. The claim for an initial rating higher than 30 percent is remanded as the SOC has not yet been issued.,All other claims are remanded.