Hearing loss decisions — 2024

The Board has determined that the Veteran's March 14, 2014, VA Form 9 was timely filed and reinstated the appeal for increased ratings and service connection claims.

The Board has remanded several service connection claims due to the need for additional medical opinions and records. The Veteran's conditions include PTSD, a painful irritable eye condition, sleep disturbance with mild apnea, headaches, left knee pain, right knee pain, neck pain, numbness and light headedness, right ankle pain, right hip disability, stomach issues (GERD and gastroparesis), degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine, sciatic nerve radiculopathy, and hearing loss. The claims are being remanded for further evaluation.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus but has remanded the issue of service connection for bilateral hearing loss due to insufficient evidence.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings of his right inguinal hernia and bilateral hearing loss were denied by the Board. The Veteran's right inguinal hernia was found not to meet criteria for a compensable rating, while his bilateral hearing loss did not warrant an increase in rating.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss as there was no evidence of current disability, and the audiometric examination results were not sufficient to establish a hearing loss disability.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings were denied, and the appeals regarding service connection for various conditions were also denied. The decision does not provide a specific rating assigned or effective date.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and remanded the issues of service connection for residuals of misdiagnosed UTI and erectile dysfunction.,Service connection is granted for bilateral hearing loss due to in-service noise exposure. The Veteran's current diagnosis of bilateral hearing loss is related to his active service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability has been reopened, and the Board finds that new and material evidence has been received to support this claim. The Veteran is found to have a current disability of bilateral hearing loss disability which is related to his military service.,An earlier effective date of March 12, 2015 for the assignment of a 40 percent disability rating for service-connected lumbar strain disability has been granted.

The Veteran's appeal was denied as the evidence did not meet the criteria for a disability rating in excess of 70 percent for PTSD, and service connection for bilateral hearing loss was also denied.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including a VA examination to assess the Veteran's hearing loss and gastric disability. The decision on service connection remains pending.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for right ear hearing loss and left ear hearing loss due to inadequate reasons or bases in the previous decision. The VA examination is required to address the nature and severity of his hearing loss, including bone conduction testing results.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an initial compensable disability rating for bilateral hearing loss, finding that his audiometric test results did not meet the criteria for a higher rating.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability is due to in-service noise exposure and continues to exist, meeting the criteria for service connection.

The Veteran is eligible for special monthly compensation (SMC) under the statutory housebound criteria from September 20, 2010 due to his service-connected coronary artery disease and other disabilities independently rated at 60 percent or more.

The Board has granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, but remanded the issue of bilateral hearing loss due to conflicting medical evidence.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The Board also found that the Veteran had not raised any other issues, nor have any other issues been reasonably raised by the record.

The Veteran withdrew their appeal for the claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss, sleep apnea, and anemia.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for SMC based on aid and attendance, as his need for regular aid and assistance is due to non-service-connected conditions. The Veteran's TDIU claim was denied because he has sufficient combined rating from service-connected disabilities (60% for varicose veins of the right lower extremity and 40% for varicose veins of the left lower extremity) that do not meet the requirement for a TDIU based on unemployability.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that the Veteran's continuous complaints of hearing problems since service support a grant of service connection.

The Board has remanded the case due to an inadequate VA examination. The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability is being reviewed again for a new medical opinion.