Hearing loss decisions — 2024

The Board has dismissed the appeal for service connection for tinnitus due to untimely filing of a VA Form 10182. The claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied as there is no evidence showing current hearing loss or that it is related to service.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection have been denied. The Veteran is currently rated at 60% for chronic kidney disease/diabetic nephropathy with hypertension, 20% for diabetes mellitus, type II, and 10% each for tinnitus, bilateral hearing loss, peripheral neuropathy of the upper extremities, and radiculopathy of the lower extremities.

The Veteran's claims for PTSD, bilateral hearing loss, and bone fractures were denied as there was no evidence of a current disability or service connection.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied because he does not have a current diagnosis of hearing loss as defined by VA regulations.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus is denied because the evidence does not support a finding that his tinnitus began in service or is related to noise exposure during military service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss was denied because the evidence did not show a current disability of hearing loss.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus was denied because there is no evidence that his claimed condition had its onset during active service or within one year of separation.

The appeal concerning the service connection claims for mental disorder (PTSD), headache disorder, and left ear hearing loss is dismissed due to the Veteran's death.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates are inextricably intertwined with other issues on appeal and must be remanded. The AOJ is instructed to obtain a medical opinion regarding when the Veteran's service-connected disorders first manifested, readjudicate the 1981 claim, and readjudicate all of the herein issues on appeal.

The Board has denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, foot disability (to include foot pain and gout), and tinnitus as there is no current evidence of these conditions or a relationship to service.

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

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

The Board has remanded the case due to a need for a VA examination to determine if the Veteran has an acquired psychiatric disorder attributable to his bilateral hearing loss.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is related to his military service, specifically his exposure to hazardous noise during combat. As a result, the claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is granted.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including Parkinson's disease and tremors, prevent him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation. The Board has granted the TDIU.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss is denied.,Service connection for bilateral pes planus, respiratory disability (undiagnosed illness), left shoulder disability (undiagnosed illness), right shoulder disability (undiagnosed illness), sleep apnea, and cephalgia (undiagnosed illness) are remanded due to incomplete service records and the need for a VA examination.,The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss is denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current left ear hearing loss disability is related to in-service acoustic trauma and/or multiple in-service ear infections, granting service connection for this condition.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a need for an additional medical opinion regarding whether the Veteran's left ear hearing loss is related to his active service.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for residuals of gallbladder removal and a psychiatric disorder due to incomplete records. The decision on bilateral hearing loss remains denied.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and obstructive sleep apnea have been denied. The cervical spine disability claim is being remanded due to a duty-to-assist error.

The Veteran's hypertension is rated at 60% from January 19, 2010. The Board denied a higher rating for hypertension and granted TDIU effective from January 19, 2010.,Prior to January 19, 2010, the Veteran did not meet the schedular requirements for TDIU due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Board denied the Veteran's petitions to readjudicate his claims of service connection for thyroid carcinoma, bilateral hearing loss, prostate cancer, ischemic heart disease, and hypertension as no new and relevant evidence was presented.