Hearing loss Board decisions

The Veteran's service-connected conditions do not meet the criteria for eligibility for specially adapted housing (SAH) or a special home adaptation (SHA) grant due to insufficient anatomical loss, blindness, burns, or other qualifying disabilities.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for right ear hearing loss, finding that new evidence submitted after the March 2022 denial supports a finding of in-service onset or relationship to active service. The Board also found that the Veteran had conceded noise exposure during service.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, sciatica of the left and right lower extremities, and lumbosacral strain due to new evidence submitted by the Veteran. The claims are being remanded because there is a possibility that the Veteran was exposed to toxic exposure risk activities during her military service.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for a psychiatric condition and hearing loss is being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and opinions.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and PTSD due to a failure to verify the Veteran's reported stressors. The AOJ is instructed to request verification from the appropriate entities.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the current diagnoses are not causally related to service. The claims were based on direct service connection.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have prevented him from securing and maintaining substantially gainful employment throughout the appeal period, leading to a grant of TDIU.

The Veteran's initial increased disability rating for bilateral hearing loss is being remanded due to the need for updated VA treatment records and a new audiologic examination.

The Board has denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss due to a lack of evidence showing the condition was incurred or aggravated during active duty. The claim is being remanded for further clarification on whether the Veteran currently has a disability for VA purposes.,For the acquired psychiatric disability, the Board found that presumptive service connection cannot be granted based on Camp Lejeune exposure as it does not fall under the list of covered illnesses in 38 C.F.R. § 3.309(f). The claim is being remanded to consider whether direct service connection can be established.

The Veteran's petitions to reopen claims for service connection for left ear hearing loss, sleep apnea, and a sleep disorder other than sleep apnea have been granted. The appeals for increased ratings of asthma, right ear hearing loss, and carpal tunnel syndrome are remanded.

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

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for left ear hearing loss, low back disability, right ankle disability, acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD and/or depression), and prostate disability due to service. The AOJ is directed to schedule examinations and obtain medical opinions regarding these issues.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional audiometric testing to determine the appropriate rating for his bilateral hearing loss prior to July 19, 2022. The issue of entitlement to a total disability based on individual unemployability (TDIU) prior to July 19, 2022, is also inextricably intertwined and must be addressed.

The Board has decided to remand the cases of bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus for further development due to an inadequate VA examination.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for bilateral hearing loss, finding that a rating in excess of 30 percent is not warranted from June 29, 2021 to January 26, 2023 and no more than a 50 percent evaluation thereafter. The issue of an initial compensable evaluation prior to June 29, 2021 remains remanded for additional development.

The Board has denied service connection for right ear hearing loss due to the absence of a current disability meeting VA criteria. The case is remanded for further examination and opinion regarding left ear hearing loss.

The Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss, right knee patellofemoral pain syndrome with osteoarthritis, left knee patellofemoral pain syndrome with osteoarthritis, right shoulder impingement syndrome, left shoulder impingement syndrome, bilateral pes planus, and lumbar spine DDD are granted.,The Veteran's claim of service connection for right lower extremity radiculopathy is remanded.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a left shoulder disability and bilateral hearing loss, finding no current diagnosis or functional impairment.

The Veteran's gastroesophageal disorder, right knee disorder, and several musculoskeletal disorders are granted service connection. Service connection for tinnitus is also granted. The Veteran's claims for left shoulder, right shoulder, left elbow, right elbow, left wrist, right wrist, left hip, right hip, left ankle, right ankle, and bilateral lower extremity venous insufficiency have been remanded due to insufficient evidence.

The Board has remanded the case for further development and examination to determine the nature and etiology of the Veteran's claimed psychiatric disorder, including whether it is related to service. The decision regarding bilateral hearing loss remains denied.