Hearing loss Board decisions

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss was rated at 30 percent from January 4, 2023, and denied for increased ratings.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus is granted. The claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and low back disability are remanded.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for bilateral hearing loss from December 3, 2015 to April 6, 2020 was denied. The Board also found that the Veteran is entitled to TDIU prior to December 3, 2015.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and to obtain a new opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss.,The February 2023 VA examiner concluded that the Veteran's hearing loss is not related to his military service.

The Veteran's TDIU claim was denied as he had engaged in substantially gainful employment during the appeal period, and thus did not meet the criteria for a TDIU.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have current residuals from a head injury, and his bilateral hearing loss is not related to service. The case is being remanded for further examination regarding his knee strain and hypertension.,The Veteran's service-connected hypertension is also being remanded for an updated rating determination.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to an inadequate VA examination used in the previous decision. A new examination is needed to assess the severity of the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus but has remanded the hearing loss claim due to insufficient evidence.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for entitlement to service connection for bilateral hearing loss, and the Board dismissed the appeal.

The Veteran is granted a rating of 70 percent for PTSD prior to January 31, 2020 and entitlement to TDIU prior to that date. The Board found the Veteran's PTSD results in deficiencies in most areas such as work, family relations, judgment, and thinking.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding no evidence of a nexus between his current hearing loss and his military service.

The Board denied the Veteran's request to reopen his service connection claim for bilateral hearing loss because he did not have a current disability as defined by VA regulations. The evidence submitted was insufficient to establish that he had hearing loss for VA purposes.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for right ear hearing loss, finding that there is no current disability of right ear hearing loss separate and distinct from bilateral loudness recruitment. The record does not contain a recent diagnosis of disability prior to the Veteran's filing of a claim.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for sleep apnea, hearing loss, and tinnitus due to potential secondary service connection from his service-connected PTSD and possible toxic exposure risk activity (TERA) related to his military occupation as a fixed wing aviator. Additional medical opinions are needed regarding the etiology of these conditions.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied as he does not have a qualifying hearing loss disability meeting VA's regulatory definition.,Service connection for TBI, whiplash, cervical spine disorder, lumbar spine disorder, sleep apnea, chronic fatigue, migraine headaches, and an acquired psychiatric disorder are remanded due to the need for further examination and clarification of medical opinions.

The Veteran's right ear hearing loss is related to in-service acoustic trauma and the Board has granted service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss has been granted a 10% disability rating, effective September 1, 2021. A compensable rating prior to this date is denied.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining National Guard service records and medical opinions regarding his knee conditions and hearing loss.

The Board has remanded the claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to insufficient development of records, including VA treatment records from January 2016 and December 2019. The Veteran's representative also requested an opinion on whether his current hearing loss is related to in-service ENT issues.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities (TDIU) on an extraschedular basis, finding that his service-connected hearing loss and tinnitus did not render him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment.