Hearing loss Board decisions

The Veteran's service connection claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are granted on a substitution basis due to his death. The Board found that the Veteran's hearing loss was related to military noise exposure, and his tinnitus is considered a symptom of his now-service-connected hearing loss.

The Board has granted service connection for TBI and remanded the issues of bilateral hearing loss, sleep apnea, and an increased rating for PTSD prior to August 11, 2019. The Veteran's claims are being returned for further development.

The Board has remanded the case due to an inadequate VA examination, and a new addendum opinion is needed to determine if the Veteran's right ear hearing loss is related to service.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus but has remanded the issue of service connection for bilateral hearing loss due to conflicting evidence.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus is granted. The Board finds that the Veteran has a current diagnosis of tinnitus and credible assertions of noise exposure in service, leading to a finding of service connection. For bilateral hearing loss, the case is remanded as there are inconsistencies with the VA examiner's opinion regarding the presence of threshold shifts at separation from service.

The Veteran's claim for a TDIU prior to January 24, 2022 is remanded as the evidence suggests he may be entitled to an extraschedular rating due to his service-connected disabilities preventing him from securing and following a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal of the right ankle disability claim and the hearing loss disability claim is remanded for further examination.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss warrants a noncompensable evaluation, and has remanded for further action on his foot fungus claim.

The Veteran's lichen simplex chronicus is now rated at 60 percent, effective September 30, 2014. His hearing loss remains noncompensable.

The Board has denied the petitions to reopen previously denied claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and bilateral eye disorder as new and material evidence was not received.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for right and left knee disorders, as well as hearing loss. The Veteran's lumbar spine disorder is denied due to lack of evidence linking it to service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including schizophrenia, pseudomotor cerebri with residual seizure disorder, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus, rendered him unable to obtain or maintain substantially gainful employment.

The Board has decided that the Veteran does not have a current left ear hearing loss disability for VA purposes and denied service connection. The back disability issue is remanded due to insufficient rationale in the previous opinion.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate VA medical examination and opinions, requiring a new one.

The Board has remanded the issue of service connection for bilateral hearing loss due to inadequate examination and reasoning. The Veteran contends that his hearing loss began during active duty and is related to noise exposure, but the VA examiner did not adequately address these claims.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, right knee disorder, migraine headaches (secondary to hearing loss and tinnitus), and unspecified depressive disorder. The evidence did not support a finding that these conditions were related to military service.

The Board has decided to remand the claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to new evidence received after a previous decision. The Veteran's active service included time aboard an aircraft carrier where he served as a plane captain, exposed to noise from aircraft. Further examination is needed to determine if his current hearing loss and tinnitus are related to this exposure.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss. Additional development is needed, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and arranging for a new addendum opinion from the same VA examiner.

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

The Veteran's application to reopen his previously denied service connection for DMII was granted. The Board has determined that the Veteran should be scheduled for VA examinations and remanded for further development of his claims for bilateral hearing loss, low back pain, left ankle condition, tinea pedis, sinusitis, COPD, and DMII.