Hearing loss Board decisions

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient reasoning in a previous opinion regarding whether the Veteran's left ear hearing loss is service-connected. The case will be returned for further examination and opinion.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is denied as it was present prior to service and did not worsen during service.,Service connection for tinnitus is also denied because the condition did not manifest within one year of separation from service, and there is no evidence linking current tinnitus to military noise exposure.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and granted service connection for PTSD, but remanded several other issues due to the need for additional development.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are related to his military service due to exposure to noise.

The Board has remanded the cases for further action due to a failure to respond to the Veteran's objections regarding the competence of the VA examiners who provided medical opinions on his bilateral hearing loss.

The Board has found that the Veteran's hearing loss may not be directly attributable to service, but further examination is needed to determine if it was aggravated by his service-connected tinnitus or caused by any in-service toxic exposure risk activities.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The Veteran was granted a rating of 30 percent for chronic cystitis, traumatic arthritis of the cervical spine, and bilateral hearing loss since November 18, 2019.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 for acquired psychiatric disorder and migraines, finding no evidence to support these claims.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development due to conflicting evidence regarding the onset and causation of his claimed disabilities. The appeals are currently pending.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for a right ankle condition, gall bladder condition, migraine headaches, bilateral hearing loss, and an acquired psychiatric condition (PTSD) due to incomplete information and need for further examination or evidence.

The Veteran's right ear hearing loss and tinnitus have been granted service connection, but the claim for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for tinnitus has been denied.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, did not result in an inability to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation prior to January 1, 2017. The Board denied the claim for TDIU based on insufficient evidence of unemployability due to service-connected disability.

The Board has remanded the case due to non-compliance with previous instructions, and another examination is needed.

The Veteran's initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss prior to May 19, 2022, and his increased rating of 30 percent from that date have both been denied by the Board.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have right ear hearing loss for VA compensation purposes during the pendency of the appeal, thus denying service connection for this condition. The remaining issues are remanded.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss has been reopened and is granted. The VA examiner found that the Veteran's current disability raises a reasonable possibility of substantiating his claim.,The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for low back pain, PTSD, TBI with headaches and numbness of upper and lower extremities are remanded as there are no recent medical records to assess the severity of these conditions.,The Veteran's claims for service connection for right hip pain, eczema, and muscle/joint pain due to an undiagnosed illness are remanded as VA opinions are inadequate. Further development is needed to determine if his disabilities qualify under presumptive provisions or if they are related to service.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for right hip pain is remanded as the VA opinion of record was inadequate and did not address direct service connection, aggravation prong of secondary service connection, or provide a rationale based on medical literature.

The Veteran's claims for reduced sense of smell, sleep disorder (obstructive sleep apnea), and hearing loss have all been denied. The Board found no evidence to support a current diagnosis or causal relationship between these conditions and service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that there was no evidence of in-service noise exposure causing these conditions.

The Veteran's PTSD is granted a 100% rating, and the appeal for increased ratings of plantar fasciitis, bilateral hearing loss, service connection for human T-cell lymphotropic virus antibody, and hypertension are dismissed. The appeal for TDIU is denied.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation, and the Board has granted entitlement to a TDIU based on extraschedular consideration.