Hearing loss Board decisions

The Board has determined that the Veteran's preexisting bilateral hearing loss was aggravated during his service, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for service connection were denied. The Board found that the earliest date available for each award is September 26, 2018, the date on which he filed his initial claims for service connection.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, atrial fibrillation, bilateral plantar fasciitis, PTSD, and hypothyroidism have all been denied.,There is no current diagnosis of any of these conditions in the record.

The Veteran's claims for earlier effective date, service connection for erectile dysfunction, status post right ear drum perforation, and bilateral hearing loss are remanded due to outstanding private treatment records and conflicting medical evidence.

The Veteran's right hip disorder, genitourinary disorder other than erectile dysfunction (epididymo-orchitis), nasal disorder, and several musculoskeletal conditions are remanded for further development.,Service connection for the Veteran's claimed conditions is being remanded due to insufficient evidence linking them to service exposure or service-connected disabilities. Further examination and opinion may be necessary under recent changes in law related to toxic exposure claims.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is attributable to military service and grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for service-connected hearing loss was denied, and the issue of entitlement to service connection for dizziness was dismissed as moot due to the grant of service connection in a separate decision.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus is granted. The Board finds that the Veteran has a current diagnosis of tinnitus and it is related to his in-service noise exposure, thus meeting all elements of service connection. For bilateral hearing loss, the Veteran's claim is remanded as there was no audiometric testing provided by VA.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for tremors and muscle twitches, left ear hearing loss, allergies, eustachian tube dysfunction (claimed as equilibrium), right ear hearing loss, tinnitus, and migraines are all denied.,Additional evidence is needed to support the Veteran's claims of service connection for these conditions.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate medical opinions regarding the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss. The claim will be further evaluated with new evidence and a proper examination.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are linked to in-service noise exposure. The decision is based on the Veteran's credible lay statements of in-service noise exposure and continuous symptoms.

The Veteran's service connection claim for a disability of the cervical spine is granted. The Board finds that it is at least as likely as not related to his duties as a KC-135 refueling boom operator during his military service.

The Veteran's right lower extremity radiculopathy is granted an initial rating of 20 percent, but no higher. The left lower extremity radiculopathy and bilateral hearing loss are denied initial ratings.

The Veteran is granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and Meniere's disease, with the latter being related to military service.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, residuals of a cerebral vascular accident (CVA), and a disability other than radiculopathy manifested by numbness of the left lower extremity as secondary to a service-connected disability due to the Veteran's failure to report for VA examinations in July 2023.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection of right and left knee disabilities, as well as bilateral hearing loss. The claims are being remanded to allow for further development.,An effective date prior to December 17, 2017, for the grant of service connection for tinnitus is denied.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is rated at 10 percent since February 8, 2023. Prior to that date, a compensable rating was not granted.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, with the latter being secondary to service-connected bilateral hearing loss.

The Board denied an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for the Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss, finding that his disability level and symptomatology are reasonably described by the existing rating criteria.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss, bilateral tinnitus, and headaches due to service connection. The VA is required to provide a VA examination and medical opinion considering the Veteran's participation in toxic exposure risk activities (TERA) during service.