Hearing loss Board decisions

The Veteran's claims for service connection and disability evaluations have been denied. Additional development is required to address the issues of right foot pes planus, left foot pes planus, right foot plantar fasciitis, left foot plantar fasciitis, sleep apnea, athlete's foot (ringworm), tinnitus, right ear hearing loss, and left ear hearing loss.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and its relation to his active duty service. A new VA examination is needed.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss is related to his military service, as evidenced by noise exposure during his time in the Marine Corps. The evidence supports a finding of service connection for this condition.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for hearing loss and tinnitus, as well as his claim for a TDIU prior to March 30, 2022. Additional development is required including obtaining VA treatment records and clarifying whether speech discrimination testing used the Maryland CNC word list.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was rated at 30 percent prior to February 22, 2022, and in excess of 30 percent thereafter. The Board denied the claim as there is no indication that any evaluation higher than the current 30 percent evaluation is warranted.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to procedural errors and the need for additional development, including toxic exposure risk activity (TERA) examinations.

The Board has denied service connection for right ear hearing loss and remanded the issue of service connection for a sleep disorder. The Veteran's right ear hearing loss claim is denied as he does not have a current disability, defined by VA regulations. For the sleep disorder claim, additional development is needed to clarify all diagnosed conditions and determine their etiology.

The Board has decided that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of sleep apnea and denied service connection for this condition. The hearing loss claim is remanded due to insufficient evidence.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that the Veteran's current hearing loss is related to his military service.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development due to incomplete records and missed VA examinations. The Veteran's neck, back, and left ear hearing loss claims are being reviewed again.

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. The decision is based on credible lay evidence of in-service noise exposure and post-service symptoms.

The Board has determined that the Veteran is not entitled to an earlier effective date for service connection of panic attacks and bilateral hearing loss, as the claims were received on June 27, 2017. The appeal for increased rating of bilateral hearing loss is denied.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for right foot plantar fasciitis, bilateral hearing loss disability, and tinnitus have been granted.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for right median motor neuropathy has also been granted.

The Veteran's claim for bilateral hearing loss was denied as he does not have a disability level of hearing impairment for VA compensation purposes.,The Veteran's claim for chronic venous insufficiency, secondary to service-connected status post total left knee arthroplasty, was granted.

The Board has determined that the VA opinion on the etiology of the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is inadequate and requires further clarification. The claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are being remanded to obtain a new medical opinion.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is granted at a 10 percent rating effective January 11, 2020. The left ankle disability and cervical spine condition are both remanded for further examination.

The Board has reopened the previously denied claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, but has denied both claims as there is no evidence to support a finding that these conditions were incurred or aggravated by service.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's claims, including service connection for hearing loss, tinnitus, bilateral shoulder disabilities, a right knee disability (including below the knee amputation), and right lower extremity radiculopathy. The specific nature and etiology of these conditions will need to be addressed through further examination and opinion.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss disability is service-connected as it began in service and there is continuity of symptomatology since then.

The Veteran's increased rating for Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo with Meniere's Disease is granted, subject to the laws and regulations controlling the award of monetary benefits. The issues of increased ratings for Bilateral Hearing Loss and Tinnitus are dismissed as moot due to their subsumption in the Meniere's Disease rating.