Hearing loss decisions — 2024

The Board has decided that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss disability is related to in-service noise exposure and remands the case for a new opinion on this issue.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is currently rated at 40 percent from September 6, 2023. The Board found the evidence does not support a higher rating.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is remanded due to the inadequacy of the VA examination and the need for a proper interpretation of the undated audiometric graph from service records.

The Board has dismissed all claims related to service connection and increased disability ratings, including those for PTSD, right shoulder strain, right ankle tendinosis, facial scarring due to PFB, eczema, bilateral hearing loss, chronic left wrist disability, left ankle sprain, and bilateral eye conditions.

The Board denied compensation under the provisions of 38 U.S.C. § 1151 for right ear hearing loss, tinnitus, and headaches due to a March 1998 VA surgical procedure on the Veteran's right ear. The decision found that the surgery did not result from carelessness, negligence, lack of proper skill, error in judgment, or similar instance of fault on the part of VA.

The Board has remanded the claims for effective dates prior to September 26, 2015, for various disability evaluations and eligibility benefits due to incomplete development.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection and increased rating due to insufficient information regarding the extent of the Veteran's heart disability, severity of scars associated with his heart disability, etiology of tinnitus, hearing loss, and peripheral disorders. The claims are being returned for further clarification and additional medical opinions.

The Board has denied service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the left upper extremity, right ear hearing loss, and tinnitus. The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder is also not found to be related to service.,There is no evidence of current right ear hearing loss that meets VA compensation criteria.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings of atrial fibrillation, hypertension, tinnitus, bilateral hearing loss, and a surgical bypass scar were denied. The effective date for the grant of a 30 percent rating for atrial fibrillation was not earlier than May 1, 2020.,Compensable ratings for hypertension, tinnitus, and bilateral hearing loss were also denied. A compensable rating for the surgical bypass scar was not granted.,The Veteran's TDIU claim was denied as his combined service-connected disability rating did not meet the threshold for a TDIU.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's conditions are related to his military service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a right ear hearing loss disability was denied. The claims for left ear hearing loss and tinnitus were remanded.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss has been rated at 10 percent, and the Board denied a higher rating as there is no persuasive evidence to support an increase.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that the Veteran was exposed to acoustic trauma during active service and has experienced symptoms of bilateral hearing loss continuously since separation from service.

The Board has decided to remand the claims of service connection for hearing loss, hypertension, and scarring from surgery due to inadequate medical opinions. The Veteran's exposure basis is not specified.

The Board has remanded the claims for bilateral hearing loss and right rotator cuff tendonitis due to duty-to-assist errors in prior decisions. The Veteran's service connection claims are being reviewed again with new medical opinions provided.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss as the Veteran did not report for a scheduled VA examination and there is no current disability meeting VA criteria.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability and tinnitus, finding that there is no evidence to support a causal relationship between these conditions and his military service.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus and right ear hearing loss, but denied service connection for left ear hearing loss.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not meet the criteria for hearing loss disability under VA regulations, and therefore service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied.

The Veteran's disability rating for bilateral hearing loss has been restored to 20 percent effective August 24, 2023. The reduction from 20% to noncompensable was not proper due to procedural issues and the Board found that his hearing loss did not improve enough to warrant such a reduction.