Hearing loss Board decisions

The Veteran's left ear hearing loss disability is being remanded for a new VA examination to assess the current severity of his condition.

The Veteran's tinnitus is granted as service-connected. The cases for bilateral hearing loss, acquired psychiatric condition (including PTSD), and lumbar strain are remanded due to insufficient medical opinions.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for right ear hearing loss, hypertension, left knee degenerative arthritis, and right knee degenerative arthritis. The Veteran's claim for a TDIU prior to April 13, 2018 is dismissed as moot.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to insufficient evidence regarding their onset during service. The claims will be returned for further development.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was found to be at worst Level I in each ear, resulting in a noncompensable rating.,The Veteran's lumbar spine disability is currently rated as 10 percent disabling. The Board has ordered a remand for further examination and consideration of whether the Veteran should receive a temporary 100 percent rating due to surgery and convalescence.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tension headaches have rendered him unemployable, warranting a 40% disability rating from May 6, 2019 onwards.

The Veteran's service-connected conditions do not render him unemployable, as his hearing loss and tinnitus cause difficulty with communication but he can still perform activities of daily living and improve with the use of hearing aids. Therefore, the Board denied entitlement to a TDIU on an extraschedular basis.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional VA examinations. The Board finds that the Veteran did not receive proper notification of his scheduled VA examinations, which were cancelled due to his absence.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not preclude him from securing and following a substantially gainful occupation during the period of March 31, 2016 to November 13, 2016.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was rated at 40 percent from December 28, 2013 to March 15, 2018.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss, recurrent tinnitus, and hypertension have been granted service connection. The Board found that the evidence was at least in equipoise as to whether these conditions are related to service.

The Board has denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and remanded the remaining issues. The Veteran's claims for right and left arm/hand conditions, lumbar spine condition, left knee condition, right knee condition, sleep apnea, and anemia are now before the RO for further review.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding whether the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss disability is related to in-service hazardous noise exposure. The Veteran served with the 1st Armored Division and participated in combat activity.

The Board has denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and remanded the case for further development regarding a right shoulder disorder.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for cervical spine, bilateral knee, bilateral eye condition, and left ear hearing loss as they are related to service. The claims will be reviewed again with new evidence and opinions from VA examiners.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to procedural issues, including not issuing a Statement of the Case (SOC) addressing the propriety of the rating reduction for service-connected hearing loss.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss to include otitis media residuals was rated at 20 percent from November 25, 2019 onward. The Board found the evidence did not support higher ratings and denied the claim.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current disabilities are related to acoustic trauma sustained in active service.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for a VA examination to assess the severity of the service-connected hearing loss, specifically addressing whether the abnormal ipsilateral and contralateral acoustic reflexes are related to the service-connected hearing loss.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to lack of substantial compliance with previous remand directives and the need for a new medical opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability.