Hearing loss decisions — 2024

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to pre-decisional errors in duty to assist.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection are remanded due to missing VA examinations, outstanding VA treatment records, and the need for additional medical opinions regarding his conditions.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is related to noise exposure during service and grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's left ear hearing loss, finding that it is related to in-service noise exposure.,Service connection for coronary artery disease remains pending as the AOJ needs to conduct further research into potential herbicide agent exposure.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inconsistencies in the VA examination findings and a need for clarification on how noise exposure relates to both hearing loss and tinnitus. The Veteran will be scheduled for an ENT examination to determine the nature and etiology of his hearing loss.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded to obtain audiogram records from his VA medical center evaluations. The effective date for the award of service connection remains December 3, 2020.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for hearing loss in her right ear and tinnitus. The decision is based on the lack of current diagnosis of hearing loss by VA standards, despite the Veteran reporting intermittent high-pitched ringing sounds in both ears.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss. The claim will be reviewed with a new VA examination and opinion.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim of service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that his current condition is not related to active service or any incident of service, including as due to conceded in-service noise exposure.

The Board has granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and remanded the issue of service connection for bilateral hearing loss.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his service-connected bilateral hearing loss is granted, with the effective date being March 23, 2023.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus is dismissed as there was no valid appeal within one year of the June 2012 denial.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus but remanded the claim for bilateral hearing loss due to a lack of relevant military personnel records.

The Veteran's left ear hearing loss has been rated as noncompensable. The MDS claim is remanded for further review.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that there is no current disability of hearing loss in either ear as defined by VA standards.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral sensorineural hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the evidence is at least evenly balanced as to whether these conditions had onset in service. The decision also notes that the Veteran's competent lay statements about her exposure to noise during service are credible.

The Veteran's claims for right ear hearing loss, diabetes mellitus II, left shoulder disability, and right shoulder disability have been denied as there is no persuasive evidence of a current disability.,The Veteran's claim for allergic rhinitis/sinusitis has been denied as there is no persuasive evidence of a current disability.,The Veteran's claims for hypertension and sleep apnea have been denied as there is no persuasive evidence of a current disability.

The Board has decided to remand all the claims for further development due to errors in obtaining medical records and military personnel records.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for GERD, bilateral hearing loss, chest pain disorder, psychiatric disorder, left ankle disorder, right ankle disorder, sleep apnea, and tetanus has been denied as there is no current evidence of these conditions.,No medical professional provided a diagnosis or indicated that the Veteran had any of these conditions during his military service.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is granted as service-connected, supported by his reports of noise exposure during service and persistence of symptoms since then.

The Veteran's claims for left and right shin splints, painful joints, and bilateral hearing loss were denied as there was no evidence of these conditions during service or related to service. The claim for low back disability is also denied.,Service connection for obstructive sleep apnea remains remanded.