Hearing loss Board decisions

The appellant has withdrawn his appeals for the claims of bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, right knee disability, and left foot disability. The appeal is dismissed.

The Veteran withdrew her appeals for service connection for various conditions, including plantar fasciitis with pes planus, sinusitis, left varicose veins, right varicose veins, allergic rhinitis, and bilateral hearing loss. As a result, the appeal is dismissed.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were found to have their onset during active-duty service, meeting the criteria for service connection.,There is no evidence of TBI or its residuals at any time during the pendency of the appeal.

The Board has decided to remand the claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to incomplete development, including not obtaining authorization for related private treatment records and failing to discuss the Veteran's statements regarding the onset and continuity of his conditions.

The Veteran's left ring finger disability, tinnitus, and hearing loss are all granted. The left ring finger disability is found to have been aggravated by service. Tinnitus was incurred in service. Hearing loss is denied as it did not manifest within the first year after separation from service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss is related to in-service noise exposure, and service connection for this condition is granted.

The Veteran withdrew their appeal for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, so the case is dismissed.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the evidence is in relative equipoise regarding whether these conditions were caused by or incurred during military service.

The Veteran's appeal for a higher rating for bilateral hearing loss is dismissed due to the death of the Veteran.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that his pre-existing hearing loss was aggravated by noise exposure during service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection of bilateral hearing loss is being remanded due to a lack of consideration of delayed-onset hearing loss and noise exposure in the initial opinion. The Board will seek an addendum opinion from the examiner.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is granted due to new and relevant evidence received, but the issue remains remanded as there was no finding of a nexus between his in-service noise exposure and current hearing loss.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was rated at 20 percent from May 20, 2016 to August 31, 2020 and increased to 40 percent on September 1, 2020.

The Veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for bilateral hearing loss, hypertension, and erectile dysfunction (secondary to hypertension) have been denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a finding that the Veteran's current conditions were related to his military service.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for an initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss, so the case is dismissed.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss is related to his in-service noise exposure and grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and diabetes mellitus type 2 evaluations have been dismissed due to the appellant's withdrawal of these issues.,Higher ratings for peripheral neuropathy of the left lower extremity (sciatic nerve), right lower extremity (sciatic nerve), left lower extremity (femoral nerve) associated with herbicide exposure, and right lower extremity (femoral nerve) associated with herbicide exposure have been granted. The Veteran's status post left ankle fracture evaluation has been denied.,The Veteran does not meet the criteria for a TDIU as his service-connected disabilities do not preclude him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board has remanded the cases for an updated addendum opinion regarding whether the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are at least as likely as not related to noise exposure during his service.

The Veteran's right lower extremity sciatic nerve radiculopathy is granted as secondary to his service-connected low back disability. The claim for right ear hearing loss remains denied.

The Veteran's initial evaluations for service-connected bilateral hearing loss were denied prior to August 19, 2022. From that date onwards, the evaluations remained at a non-compensable level until an evaluation higher than 10 percent was also denied.