Hearing loss decisions — 2024

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence in the November 2021 VA examination, and a new opinion is needed regarding whether the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is related to his service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been remanded due to insufficient evidence. The lumbosacral strain claim is denied, and the hearing loss claim is also denied.

The Veteran withdrew her appeal for service connection for right ear hearing loss, and the Board dismissed it.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for tinnitus, psychiatric disorders, OSA, and bilateral hearing loss due to pre-existing duty as a field artillery turret mechanic. The Veteran's assertions of in-service noise exposure are considered.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for hearing loss and tinnitus as there are insufficient medical opinions regarding a nexus to service. The VA examinations provided were inadequate.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss has been rated at zero percent (noncompensable) since July 10, 2020. The Board found that the evidence did not meet the criteria for a compensable rating under Diagnostic Code 6100.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including bilateral lower extremity sciatic peripheral neuropathy, PTSD, diabetes mellitus, and bilateral hearing loss, prevent him from securing and following substantially gainful employment. The Board has granted a TDIU based on these conditions.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's appeals for service connection of right and left ear sensorineural hearing loss as there was no prior adjudication in the year prior to filing the appeal.

The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including anxiety, back disability, neck disability, right knee disability, left knee disability, head injury, and right ear hearing loss. The effective date of the decisions was January 12, 2022.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that there was no evidence to support a link between his current hearing loss and his military service.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for further adjudication regarding claims of CUE in a June 2015 rating decision that assigned an 80 percent rating for bilateral hearing loss disability, effective August 1, 2014. The matter involves addressing whether two prior VA audiograms (February 2001 and March 2005) were informal claims and should have been considered in determining the effective date of the rating.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss as there is no current diagnosis of a hearing disability for VA purposes.

The Veteran's tinnitus, headaches, and vertigo are granted service connection. However, the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is denied.,Service connection for anxiety is remanded as a VA examination is required.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is currently rated as noncompensable, and the Board finds that a compensable rating is not warranted.,The Veteran's left ankle condition is currently rated as 10 percent disabling. The Board finds that a higher rating in excess of 10 percent is not warranted.,The Veteran's left TPS, limitation of extension is currently rated as noncompensable, and the Board finds that a compensable rating is not warranted.,The Veteran's left TPS, limitation of flexion is currently rated as noncompensable, and the Board finds that a compensable rating is not warranted.,The Veteran's left TPS, impairment of thigh is currently rated as noncompensable, and the Board finds that a compensable rating is not warranted.,The Veteran's lumbosacral strain is currently rated as 10 percent disabling. The Board finds that a higher rating in excess of 10 percent is not warranted.

The Board has found errors in the prior rating decision and remanded the cases of prostate cancer and bilateral hearing loss for further development to ensure proper consideration of service connection claims.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss has been manifested by hearing acuity of no worse than Level I in the right ear and no worse than Level I in the left ear, which does not meet the criteria for a compensable rating. The Board denied an initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for a bilateral hearing loss disability, finding that it is related to hazardous noise exposure during active duty.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to an error in providing notice of the right to a pre-decisional hearing by the agency of original jurisdiction (AOJ).

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied as there is no current diagnosis of a hearing disability for VA compensation purposes.,The Veteran's claims for service connection for left hand and right hand disabilities are denied as there is no current diagnosis of these disabilities.

The Veteran's sleep apnea is granted as secondary to his service-connected PTSD. The effective date for bilateral hearing loss is denied, and the initial rating for bilateral hearing loss remains noncompensable.