Hearing loss Board decisions

The Veteran's tinnitus is granted service connection. The right shoulder and hearing loss cases are remanded for further examination and opinion. TDIU remains inextricably intertwined with the other issues.

The Board has denied service connection for degenerative arthritis of the spine due to lack of evidence linking it to active service. The claims for bilateral hearing loss, left knee, and right hand disabilities are remanded for further development.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is dismissed as moot because he is already receiving a combined rating of 100% for his service-connected conditions, which renders the issue irrelevant.

The Veteran's claim for a TDIU prior to April 11, 2019 is being remanded due to the AOJ not complying with the Board's directives and providing incomplete evaluations. The AOJ needs to provide new assessments from examiners that consider the impact of his service-connected disabilities on his industrial functioning.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to incomplete service treatment records and a need to obtain private medical records related to the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, stroke residuals, GERD, and erectile dysfunction. The cases are remanded to obtain additional medical opinions regarding the etiology of these conditions.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for hearing loss, tinnitus, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, PTSD, and sleep apnea have been denied. The evidence does not support a finding that any of these conditions were incurred or aggravated during active duty.,There is no credible evidence linking the current disabilities to in-service noise exposure or other events.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for vision loss, left foot condition (claimed as a bone on the top left foot that sticks out), right and left shin splints, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus are all remanded due to inadequate development of evidence.

The Veteran's posttraumatic headaches are rated at a 30 percent rating, effective August 26, 2018. The Veteran's left ear hearing loss is currently rated as noncompensable.

The Board has remanded the claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss due to insufficient medical evidence provided by VA during the initial review. The Veteran's current disability is conceded, but the AOJ must obtain a new opinion from a VA clinician regarding whether his hearing loss began in service or is related to noise exposure.

The Board has granted service connection for right knee disability, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus. The decision is based on the Veteran's credible lay reports of in-service injuries and symptoms.

The Veteran's claim for bilateral hearing loss was denied as there is no evidence of current hearing loss sufficient for VA purposes.,Service connection was granted for the low back condition, with a diagnosis of unspecified depressive disorder.

The Board has denied the readjudication of claims for service connection for various ankle and elbow conditions, as well as left ear hearing loss. The evidence submitted did not meet the new and relevant criteria to reopen these previously denied claims.

The reduction of the rating for cirrhosis of the liver to include hepatitis C from 60 percent to 10 percent, effective July 1, 2021, was improper and the 60 percent rating is restored. The Board also found that there were issues with service connection claims for bilateral hearing loss, left shoulder disability, and eye disability due to incomplete service treatment records.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is remanded due to a duty to assist error. A new opinion is needed to assess the combined effect of his service-connected disabilities on his employment.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim of service connection for right ear hearing loss, finding that new evidence received after a previous denial supports the claim and resolves reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and heart disability are service-connected, but a higher rating is denied. The TDIU claim is granted.,Service connection for obstructive sleep apnea is remanded as the VA examination report did not address its relationship to active service.

The Board has decided that service connection for tinnitus is granted, but the decision on bilateral hearing loss remains pending and requires further review.

The Veteran's appeal for a disability rating in excess of 10 percent for service-connected tinnitus is dismissed. The claim of entitlement to a compensable rating for service-connected bilateral hearing loss is remanded.

The Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus have been granted, with service connection established. The Board found that the evidence was in approximate balance regarding whether these conditions are due to military service.