Hearing loss Board decisions

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a bilateral hearing loss disability, finding that there was no evidence of continued hearing loss after service and that the Veteran's allegation of chronic hearing loss since his first period of active duty is not credible.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further development, including obtaining additional medical records and an examination to assess the severity of his bilateral knee disabilities.

The Board has granted service connection for OSA and remanded the issue of a compensable rating for left ear hearing loss.

The Veteran's right shoulder disability is granted as secondary to his service-connected left shoulder disability. The issues of entitlement to an initial compensable rating for a left shoulder scar, a higher rating for the left shoulder disability, and a higher rating for the right knee disability are remanded.

The Veteran's appeal for hearing loss ratings is being remanded due to inconsistencies in the VA examination results and potential missing VA treatment records.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and its relation to service. The case will be returned for an additional VA examination and opinion.

The Board has found that further remand is required due to the need for VA examinations and retrieval of VA treatment records. The Veteran's claims for cervical spine condition, bilateral knee condition, right upper extremity peripheral neuropathy, and hypertension are all being remanded.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including his psychiatric disorder and physical conditions like right shoulder osteoarthritis, prevented him from obtaining or retaining substantially gainful employment. The Board granted a TDIU rating based on the combined effects of these conditions.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current disability of bilateral hearing loss for VA purposes and has not had one at any time during the pendency of the claim or recent to the filing of the claim. Therefore, service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied.

The Veteran's hypertension is granted as presumptively due to Agent Orange exposure under the PACT Act. Service connection for bilateral hearing loss and skin disorder are denied.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and a compensable rating are remanded due to the need for updated medical records and examinations. The issues of tinnitus, vertigo, and left ear hearing loss are inextricably intertwined with the issue of bilateral otitis media and externa.

The Board denied service connection for hearing loss and right ankle disability as there is no persuasive evidence of current disabilities or a causal relationship to service.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's symptoms are related to his in-service noise exposure.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss was denied in the August 2016 rating decision. The Board has decided to remand this matter due to concerns about the current evidence and need for a new VA examination.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequacies in a previous VA examination, requiring a new one to determine if the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is related to his active service.

The Veteran's service connection claim for bilateral hearing loss is denied as there is no current diagnosis of the condition.,Service connection is granted for tinnitus, with the Board finding that it had its onset in service.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's claim of service connection for bilateral hearing loss should be remanded due to incomplete personnel records and a need for an additional VA medical opinion.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was granted an initial increased rating of 30 percent effective October 24, 2018. The Board also remanded the issues for a higher rating prior to and after this date.

The Veteran's claims for a rating in excess of 10 percent for right knee patellofemoral dysfunction, service connection for hypertension, left knee disability, psychiatric disorder, bilateral plantar fasciitis, and left ear hearing loss are remanded due to inadequate examination reports.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension is remanded as the examiner did not address whether in-service elevated blood pressure readings could have been an early manifestation of later diagnosed hypertension.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for a left knee disability is remanded because the VA examiner did not consider objective signs and symptoms of his left knee complaints, including a history of left knee sprain from employee health clinic records.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for a psychiatric disorder is remanded as the VA examiner did not address the Veteran's VA treatment records which show treatment for adjustment disorder, depression, and anxiety during the period on appeal.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral plantar fasciitis is remanded due to incomplete medical records from his private podiatrist being sought.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for left ear hearing loss is remanded as VA treatment records are needed to determine if an audiogram conducted by the Veteran's private physician, Dr. N.A.O., around April 2010 exists.,The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 30 percent for migraine headaches from September 22, 2014 is remanded as updated employment records are needed to determine missed time due to migraines and the Social Security Administration records have not been obtained.,The Veteran's TDIU claim is remanded as his July 2020 Application for Increased Compensation Based on Unemployability raised this issue.

The Board has found that there was not substantial compliance with the remand requests and thus, this claim must again be remanded for further development.