Hearing loss decisions — 2024

The Board has remanded the claims for bilateral hearing loss and migraine headaches due to insufficient evidence on the merits of these claims. The Veteran's service connection claim for bilateral hearing loss is reopened, but her new evidence does not establish a nexus between her current hearing loss disability and in-service noise exposure or tinnitus. For her migraine headache claim, the Board has ordered an addendum opinion regarding whether her headaches are related to service-connected tinnitus.

The Veteran's right ear hearing loss is granted as service-connected.,For the period prior to April 6, 2018, an initial compensable evaluation for asbestos induced pleural plaques was denied.

The Veteran's claim for service connection of a psychiatric disability was reopened and granted. The rating for hearing loss remains at 20 percent.,The Veteran's claims for special monthly compensation based on aid and attendance/housebound and total disability evaluation based on individual unemployability (TDIU) are being remanded.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and a chronic perforation of the left tympanic membrane are granted. The Board also finds that these conditions are related to his military service.

The Veteran's bilateral plantar calcaneal spurs, degenerative changes of the feet (claimed as flat feet and residuals of broken toes), degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine, right ear hearing loss, tinnitus, and sleep apnea are found to have begun during service. The appeal is granted.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a need for an updated examination of the service-connected bilateral hearing loss condition.

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

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding whether the Veteran's OSA is secondary to his service-connected disabilities, with obesity as an intermediate step. The VA needs to obtain a new opinion from a qualified sleep specialist addressing both proximate causation and aggravation by hypertension and PTSD.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss is remanded due to incomplete records from January 2011.

The Board has decided to remand the cases for further development and examination, including obtaining new VA medical opinions regarding the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and low back disability.

The Veteran's initial evaluation for bilateral hearing loss prior to January 15, 2015 was denied. From January 15, 2015 to December 9, 2015, he received a 30 percent evaluation.

The Board has determined that additional evidence is needed to properly evaluate the Veteran's service-connected conditions, including a new VA examination for his psychiatric disorder and knee and spine disabilities.

The Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss, diaphragmatic hernia, and personality disorder have been withdrawn. The Veteran's claim for PTSD has been granted, but the claims for headaches (claimed as migraines) and a left eye condition (claimed as ischemia behind the left eye) are remanded.

The Board has remanded the case due to issues related to the competency and qualifications of the VA examining audiologists, as well as concerns about the results of the August 2018 VA examination. Additional development is needed to address these issues.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for tinnitus, bilateral hearing loss, and right knee disability as secondary to his service-connected intervertebral disc degeneration due to insufficient evidence.

The Board has determined that the Veteran should be afforded another opportunity for VA examinations to determine the nature and etiology of his claimed conditions, including bilateral hearing loss, plantar fasciitis, psoriasis, dry eye syndrome, hypertension, and psoriatic arthritis. The appeals encompass multiple issues related to service connection.

The Board granted service connection for gout and denied it for bilateral hearing loss, while remanding the claims for left temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJ), obstructive sleep apnea, Barrett's esophagus, and sinusitis.

The Veteran's service connection claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus have been granted. The claim for an increased rating of tension headaches has also been granted, with a 30 percent disability rating.,Service connection for the lumbar spine disability remains pending as it is not addressed in this decision.

The Board has reopened the claims for service connection for tinnitus, bilateral hearing loss disability, residuals of head trauma (claimed as traumatic brain injury), headaches, memory loss, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), Barrett's esophagus, and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).

The Veteran's combined service-connected disabilities, including his lumbar spine disability and hearing loss, prevent him from obtaining or maintaining substantially gainful employment. As such, a TDIU is granted.