Hearing loss Board decisions

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that there is no evidence of a current disability and that any potential link to in-service head or ear injuries does not meet the criteria for service connection.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for left flank scar and left ear hearing loss, as well as service connection for hypertension. The decision found that there was no current diagnosis of hypertension and that the evidence did not support a finding of direct service connection.

The Veteran's service connection claims for degenerative arthritis of the thoracolumbar spine, tinnitus, headaches, allergic rhinitis, and OSA are all granted.,Service connection is established for bilateral hearing loss due to the dismissal of the appeal.

The Veteran's right ear hearing loss is related to his in-service exposure to hazardous noise, and the Board has granted service connection for this condition.

The Board has remanded the claims for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, metastatic right tongue base cancer with squamous cell carcinoma of head and neck, respiratory disorder, sinus disability, loss of taste, paralyzed vocal chords/throat stricture, tooth loss, and dry mouth due to inadequate VA medical opinions.,The claims are also remanded for a new opinion regarding the nature and etiology of these conditions.

The Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates, increased ratings, and TDIU were dismissed due to the failure to submit a timely VA Form 10182.

The Veteran's asthma has not resulted in the required symptoms for a compensable rating.,His bilateral hearing loss does not meet the criteria for a higher than 40 percent rating.,There is no evidence of hepatitis C or any related condition.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating of bilateral hearing loss was granted, with a 20 percent evaluation effective May 31, 2023. The claim for allergic rhinitis remained denied.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unable to obtain or maintain substantially gainful employment, and the Board has granted his claim for a TDIU.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss is rated as noncompensable, and the claim for a higher rating is denied.,The Veteran's total disability based on individual unemployability (TDIU) claim is also denied.

The Veteran's appeals for reopening their claims of service connection for periodontal disease, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus have been dismissed due to the death of the Veteran.

The Veteran's service connection claims for bilateral hearing loss, left index finger disability, eye disability (flash burn in eyes), low back disability, and right shoulder disability are all denied. The AOJ is directed to provide VA examinations or obtain additional medical opinions regarding these claims.,The Veteran's service connection claim for a left index finger disability remains pending as the AOJ has not provided a VA examination.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for bilateral hearing loss and radiculopathy of the bilateral lower extremities are being remanded due to incomplete medical records, need for a new VA examination, and issues related to the relationship between his service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for a left shoulder disorder has been withdrawn. The remaining issues have been remanded for further evaluation and clarification of the Veteran's conditions.,Issues related to right hip, right shoulder, left hip, bilateral hearing loss, heart disorder (to include CAD), sleep disorder (to include OSA), and chronic fatigue are being remanded for additional examination and analysis.

The Veteran's claims for various conditions are being remanded to obtain missing service records and conduct medical examinations. The specific issues include bilateral hearing loss, acquired psychiatric disorder (secondary to other conditions), skeletal arthritis, bowel disorder, low back disorder, hip disorders, knee disorders, and foot disorders.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to new evidence submitted since the most recent Supplemental Statement of the Case (SSOC). The issues will be reconsidered by the agency of original jurisdiction (AOJ) with consideration of this additional evidence.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is related to his active service, and therefore grants the claim for service connection.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for low back disorder, bilateral hip disorder, left knee disorder, and migraine headaches due to new evidence indicating these conditions may be related to service.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss disability and tinnitus due to conflicting opinions in a June 2018 VA examination. The Veteran is requested to provide additional medical records, especially from his Reserve duty period, and an addendum opinion is needed.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings were denied. The back condition and sciatic radiculopathy of the right lower extremity are rated at their maximum levels, while tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss do not warrant higher ratings.