Hearing loss decisions — 2024

The Veteran's left knee disability is granted as secondary to a service-connected right knee disability.,Bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are granted based on noise exposure during active service.

The Board denied service connection for left ankle, left knee, and right knee disabilities as well as bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus. The evidence did not show the presence of these conditions during or within one year after active duty service, nor were they shown to have been incurred in line of duty.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been dismissed as the Veteran withdrew his requests through his representative in January 2022.,The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for tinnitus has also been dismissed.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right knee disability is not service-connected due to lack of evidence linking it to his active duty.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and its relation to service, particularly noise exposure.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that the evidence is at least in approximate balance as to whether the Veteran's hearing loss was caused by his military noise exposure.

The Board has denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the evidence does not support a link between these conditions and active service.

The Board has decided to remand the issue of entitlement to a compensable disability rating for bilateral hearing loss prior to June 29, 2021 due to incomplete audiometry test results and unclear word list used in determining speech recognition scores.

The claims of service connection for various disabilities, including right ear hearing loss, low back disability, bilateral knee disabilities, and a right ankle disability are being reopened due to the submission of new and material evidence. The VA has ordered additional examinations for left ear hearing loss and potential service connection for these conditions.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for chronic fatigue syndrome was denied. A rating of 30 percent for sinusitis prior to July 23, 2023 is granted, but a higher rating is denied from that date forward. The claims for left and right ankle disabilities as well as bilateral hearing loss disability are remanded.

The Veteran's DMII and hypertension were granted service connection due to in-service herbicide agent exposure.,Her glaucoma, sleep apnea, lung condition (including COPD and asthma), GERD, breast cancer, IBS, endocrinopathy, hypothyroidism, tinnitus, blood clots, heart condition, and bilateral hearing loss were all remanded for further development due to insufficient evidence.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for skin disorder, urinary bladder condition, prostate disorder, and hearing loss are dismissed. The claim for hypertension is granted with a rating of 70%. The claim for total initial rating for psychiatric disability is remanded.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to concerns about the validity of the entrance examination audiometric readings and the potential increase in left ear hearing loss during service. The Veteran's current hearing loss is also under review.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and bladder cancer have been granted in a December 2023 rating decision. The appeal of these issues is dismissed as moot. The Board has also remanded the issue of service connection for obstructive sleep apnea due to lack of a medical opinion.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate compliance with a previous decision, and the Veteran's hearing loss disability was not caused or aggravated by service.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and a low back condition. The claim for service connection for a bilateral eye condition was not reopened due to lack of new and material evidence.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss from April 30, 2007 and prior to July 10, 2018 was denied as the evidence did not meet the criteria for a compensable rating. From September 1, 2020, the claim was also denied.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that the Veteran's current condition is at least as likely as not related to his active duty service.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss was denied as his audiometric test results did not meet the criteria for any higher rating.

The Veteran's legacy appeal is dismissed as the claims of entitlement to initial ratings for various service-connected conditions have been denied in a recent decision. The Veteran has opted into the modernized review system, which extinguishes his legacy appeal.