Hearing loss decisions — 2024

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is rated at a 10 percent disability rating from April 15, 2021. The Board found that the evidence was in approximate balance and granted the benefit of the doubt to the Veteran.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection on multiple conditions have been dismissed due to his withdrawal of the appeal.

The Veteran's vertigo is being remanded for a new medical opinion to determine if it is caused or aggravated by his service-connected hearing loss and tinnitus.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that there is no evidence of a nexus between these conditions and his in-service noise exposure.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that new evidence submitted after the May 2022 rating decision supports these claims.

The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 10 percent for bilateral hearing loss was denied, and the claim for service connection for a back disability (claimed as back pain) is remanded.

The Board has determined that there was a duty to assist error and remands the case for further development, including obtaining an updated VA opinion regarding the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss.

The Board has remanded the claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to inadequate VA examination, failure to consider in-service noise exposure, and potential impact on other issues. A new VA examination is needed.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and the effective date for tinnitus prior to April 26, 2022. The decision found that there was no current disability due to impaired hearing in either ear.

The Veteran's right ear hearing loss is denied as there is no evidence of a current disability.,The Veteran's left ear hearing loss is granted as it resulted from in-service acoustic trauma and the absence of any shift in hearing during service does not preclude service connection.,The Veteran's left foot condition (claimed as plantar warts) is granted as it was shown to have onset during active service.,The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder is denied as there is no evidence that it began during active service or resulted from an in-service injury or disease.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim to reopen his service connection for bilateral hearing loss as no new and relevant evidence was received, despite the Veteran submitting a supplemental claim with lay statements and duplicative records.

The Veteran's prostate cancer claim is being remanded for further action.,His bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus claims have been denied, with the latter having a maximum schedular rating already assigned.

The appeal as to service connection for right and left knee degenerative arthritis, and right and left ankle sprains is dismissed. The appeal as to service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability is remanded.

The Board denied an initial compensable disability rating for the service-connected bilateral hearing loss and remanded several claims for service connection.

The Board remands the claims for further development, including obtaining updated medical records and a new VA examination to assess the nature and etiology of the Veteran's claimed conditions.

The appeal was dismissed due to the Veteran's death while it was pending before the Board of Veterans' Appeals.

The Board denied the claims for service connection for chronic URI, hearing loss, and an upper back/neck disorder. However, it granted the reopening of claims for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD and mood disorder; a low back disorder; bilateral upper and lower extremity numbness; and a headache disorder. The remaining issues were remanded.

The Veteran's service connection claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are granted. The claim for plantar fasciitis is remanded due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss has been rated as noncompensable since the date of service connection. The most recent VA examination found that the Veteran's hearing acuity was no worse than Level I in both ears, resulting in a 0 percent disability rating.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a bilateral hearing loss disability, as there was no evidence of a current disability.