Hearing loss decisions — 2024

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is at least as likely as not caused by his in-service noise exposure, and thus service connection for this condition is granted.

The Veteran's claim for TDIU prior to April 24, 2020 was denied as the evidence did not show he could not secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation due solely to his service-connected disabilities.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for effective dates prior to June 20, 2018 for service connection of left ear hearing loss and PTSD.,The Board also denied the Veteran's claim for service connection of right ear hearing loss.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and a compensable rating for malaria, to include residuals, were denied. The Board found that the Veteran did not have current diagnoses of these conditions during the appeal period.

The Board has remanded the case due to a need for an adequate VA examination and opinion that complies with previous instructions.

The Board has determined that the issues of service connection for hearing loss, traumatic brain injury (TBI), a cervical spine disability, a thoracolumbar spine disability, a right knee disability, a left foot disability, and a right foot disability should be remanded due to an error in docketing.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for chronic hearing loss, an acquired psychiatric disorder (including attention deficit disorder and chronic anxiety), a cervical spine condition, peripheral neuropathy of the upper extremities, and bilateral plantar fasciitis. The case is remanded to obtain additional medical opinions addressing the etiology of these conditions.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss was reopened due to new evidence, but the claims are still denied.,Service connection is granted for IBS under presumptive criteria related to Persian Gulf War service. Service connection for GERD is denied as it does not qualify under 38 C.F.R. § 3.317.

The Veteran's service connection for left ear hearing loss and right ear hearing loss disability were denied, while a higher rating of PTSD was granted. The case is remanded for further development.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for a vision disorder has been withdrawn.,Service connection is granted for right foot degenerative arthritis, with the Board finding that the current disability is related to active service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss, left ankle disability, right ankle disability, lower back disability, and neuropathy of each extremity due to a lack of VA examinations and outstanding private treatment records.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection and initial compensable rating for hearing loss in both ears has been dismissed as the appellant requested withdrawal of the appeal.

Service connection for PTSD is dismissed.,An effective date earlier than March 2, 2018 for the grant of service connection for tinnitus is denied.,There is no basis for an effective date prior to April 19, 2011 for the award of service connection for a right ankle disability.,As new and material evidence has been received, the service connection claim for a right knee condition is reopened. The issue will be remanded for further review.,A rating higher than 10 percent for tinnitus is denied.,Entitlement to service connection for bilateral hearing loss is remanded.,An effective date higher than 10 percent for the right ankle disability is also remanded.,The claim for TDIU remains pending and will be remanded.

The Veteran's petition to reopen her previously denied claims for thoracolumbar spine strain with sciatica, right wrist condition, PTSD, fibromyalgia, bilateral hearing loss disability, and tinnitus have been granted. Service connection is being remanded for these conditions.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient development of evidence regarding the etiology of the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss. The Veteran served in the U.S. Air Force from September 1959 to February 1963, and his service records show no hearing loss at entry or during service. However, he claims that noise exposure caused his current hearing loss.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate VA medical opinions and requires additional development, including obtaining updated treatment records and scheduling a VA examination.

The Veteran's appeal for an increased rating for his service-connected bilateral hearing loss is remanded due to the need for a new VA examination.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss, right wrist disorder, left eye disorder, deviated septum, and chronic sinusitis are not service-connected.,Further development is needed to determine the etiology of these conditions.

The Board denied service connection for right ear hearing loss and left ear hearing loss, finding that the Veteran's pre-existing hearing loss did not worsen during active duty service and was not related to in-service noise exposure.

The Veteran's claim for bilateral hearing loss is denied as there was no current disability during the appeal period.,The Veteran's claims for an acquired psychiatric disorder, left shoulder/arm disability, and left knee disability are remanded due to insufficient evidence regarding their etiology.