Hearing loss Board decisions

The Board has decided to remand the case due to incomplete medical opinions and additional development is required.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to a lack of an addendum opinion addressing a medical article submitted by the Veteran.

The Board denied service connection for a bilateral hand joint disability, bilateral knee disability, and bilateral sensorineural hearing loss due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to service.

The Board has determined that additional development is necessary to clarify the Veteran's periods of active duty for training (ACDUTRA), inactive duty for training (INACDUTRA), and 'full-time duty' under the provisions of 32 U.S.C. § ¶ 316, 502, 503, 504, or 505 during his service. The Board also notes that a VA examination is needed to determine the nature and etiology of the Veteran's skin condition, as well as opinions regarding the relationship between his neck condition and right shoulder condition with his service-connected left lower extremity radiculopathy, and bilateral hearing loss.

The Board has remanded the case due to a reasonable raise in the issue of entitlement to SMC based on the need for regular aid and attendance. The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is considered, but the exact date when this need arose prior to November 1, 2017, needs further clarification.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and sinusitis, finding no current disability in either condition. The denial is based on the absence of proof of a present disability.

The Veteran's initial claim for an increased rating for bilateral hearing loss prior to June 10, 2022 was denied. A 10 percent rating is granted from that date.,Service connection for a right upper extremity neurological disorder and a left upper extremity neurological disorder are remanded due to the need for additional development.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current hearing loss disability for VA compensation purposes, and thus denied his claim of service connection for bilateral hearing loss.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding no evidence of a nexus between the Veteran's current hearing loss and his military service.,The Board also denied service connection for enlarged prostate, diagnosed as benign prostatic hypertrophy, concluding that there was no evidence linking the condition to his military service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the threshold requirements for TDIU, and they do not render him unemployable on an extraschedular basis for the rating period prior to September 29, 2014.

The Board has remanded the issue of service connection for a bilateral hearing loss disability due to inadequate opinions provided in previous VA examinations. The new opinion is required to address changes in audiometric thresholds between the entrance and separation examinations, as well as lay evidence regarding the onset of symptoms.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a TDIU prior to June 30, 2016 due to insufficient evidence regarding his employment history and inability to secure or follow substantially gainful employment.

The Board has remanded the case for further evaluation of service connection for hyperlipidemia and bilateral hearing loss, as there is insufficient evidence to determine if these conditions are related to active service.

The Board has remanded the cases for further examination and opinion regarding the Veteran's hearing loss and tinnitus, as there is conflicting evidence on whether these conditions are related to service.

The Veteran's application to reopen the claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is granted.,Entitlement to an effective date prior to November 2, 2017, for the grant of service connection for PTSD is denied.

The Board has denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and remanded the claim for back disability. The decision on hearing loss is due to lack of in-service noise exposure leading to current bilateral hearing loss, while the back disability issue requires additional medical opinion considering the Veteran's lay statements.

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

The Veteran's claim for specially adapted housing and/or special home adaptation is remanded due to the need for a medical opinion on whether his service-connected disabilities are causing significant mobility issues, including right foot drop and difficulty walking.

The Veteran's claim for a total disability evaluation based on individual unemployability (TDIU) is granted as of January 27, 2014. The decision was based on his service-connected disabilities and the fact that he has been unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment due to these conditions.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine, right and left lower extremity radiculopathy, tinnitus, and bilateral hearing loss, have prevented him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation since May 18, 2010. The Board has granted TDIU effective from that date.