Hearing loss decisions — 2024

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the nature and cause of the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss, which is currently diagnosed as sensorineural but may be non-organic. The VA needs to conduct further examination to determine if the hearing loss is organic or non-organic in nature and whether it is related to military service.

The Board dismissed the veteran's claims for service connection for lumbar spine, hearing loss, eczema, anxiety, and depression.

The appeal for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus has been withdrawn by the Veteran.

The Board has granted service connection for pseudofolliculitis barbae, headaches, and traumatic brain injury (TBI). Service connection was denied for bilateral hearing loss and cervical spondylosis with cervical strain (neck disability) and low back disability.

The Board granted service connection for bilateral sensorineural hearing loss and increased the rating for residuals of right thumb cyst surgery to 20 percent, while denying a compensable disability rating for the surgical scar. The claims for back, left knee, and radiculopathy disabilities were remanded for further evaluation.

The Board remands the claims for a compensable rating for anxiety with sleep disturbance and an increased rating for bilateral hearing loss due to the need for updated medical evaluations.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for right ear hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that there is no evidence of a chronic disability in service or continuity of symptomatology post-service. The Veteran's current hearing loss and tinnitus are not related to his military service.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran had in-service onset of these conditions due to noise exposure during his military service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depressed mood is granted. The claims for service connection for a back disability, bilateral hearing loss, and migraines are denied.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an initial compensable rating for right ear hearing loss based on the results of a controlled Maryland CNC speech discrimination test and pure tone audiometry tests.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection for hypertension, dental and oral, inexperienced procedures, and bilateral hearing loss have been dismissed as the claims were already pending at the Board of Veterans' Appeals.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that the Veteran's current hearing loss is related to in-service acoustic trauma. The decision also acknowledges service connection for tinnitus and notes the inconsistency between the determination of noise exposure causing tinnitus versus hearing loss.

The Board has remanded the claims for bilateral hearing loss, lumbar spine disability, and post-hydrocelectomy hydrocele due to issues with evidence and remand directives not being followed.

The Veteran's hearing loss has not met the criteria for a higher rating than 0 percent, as his puretone thresholds and speech discrimination scores have consistently warranted a 0 percent evaluation.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss. The claim of service connection for obstructive sleep apnea is remanded.

The Veteran was granted a TDIU due to service-connected disabilities, including sleep apnea. The Board denied an evaluation in excess of 10 percent for bilateral hearing loss.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate examination, requiring a new VA hearing loss examination to determine if the Veteran's left ear hearing loss is related to his military service or civilian noise exposure.

The Veteran's asthma has been granted a 0 percent evaluation effective August 10, 2022. The claims for sinusitis and hearing loss/tinnitus are being remanded due to new evidence received.

The Veteran's insomnia disorder, claimed as nightmares, is granted service connection due to in-service noise exposure. Bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are denied as there is no current diagnosis of these conditions. Headaches and PTSD remain pending.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that he does not have a current disability for VA compensation purposes.