Hearing loss Board decisions

The Board has dismissed the appeal for service connection for a thyroid disorder and the rating in excess of 30 percent for hearing loss, as the Veteran requested withdrawal of all issues.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the etiology of the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss, which is related to in-service noise exposure.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are not etiologically related to his active service.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence and need for additional development. The Veteran's hearing loss claim is denied as there is no current diagnosis of bilateral hearing loss. Other claims are also remanded.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate compliance with previous remands and insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's right ear hearing loss.

The appeal for the hernia was dismissed. The appeals for cyst and/or knot on chest, bilateral hearing loss, and teeth are remanded.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss has been rated as noncompensable, and the Board finds no evidence to support a higher rating.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's hearing loss and its relation to service. The claim will be reviewed again with a new medical opinion.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, hypothyroidism, colon condition, hypertension, and vision loss as the evidence did not establish a nexus to service or any related exposure. The Veteran's conditions were found to be unrelated to his military service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding no evidence to support a direct or secondary relationship between his current condition and military service.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate examination and reliance on conflicting information in a medical study. The Veteran's service connection claim for bilateral hearing loss will be reviewed with a new VA examiner who must address these issues.

The Board has remanded the case to obtain VA medical records that were scanned into the Veteran's electronic health record but not associated with the claims file.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The hypertension claim was denied as the evidence did not show diastolic pressure predominantly 100 or more, nor systolic pressure predominantly 160 or more. For the lumbar spine condition, a 50 percent rating is granted due to unfavorable ankylosis of the thoracolumbar spine. The bilateral hearing loss and foot condition claims were also granted with specific ratings. Service connection for right and left lower extremity radiculopathy was established. However, TDIU prior to May 11, 2021, was denied.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the schedular criteria for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) due to his other nonservice-connected disabilities and limitations. The Board finds that he is capable of securing and following substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss was denied. The Board also remanded the issue of service connection for bilateral foot disabilities, including pes planus and plantar fasciitis.

The Board has found the VA examinations inadequate for adjudicative purposes regarding the claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and a back disorder. The claims are remanded to obtain additional medical opinions clarifying the etiology of these conditions.

The Veteran's claim for an initial compensable rating for hearing loss, left ear is denied.,The Veteran's claims for service connection for back disorder and increased ratings for residual head scarring and painful scar are remanded.

The Veteran was unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation due to his service-connected disabilities from December 21, 2010, to July 13, 2015. The Board granted a TDIU on an extraschedular basis for this period.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings and earlier effective dates for various conditions have been withdrawn. The Board has also dismissed the claims of service connection for several conditions, including BHL, allergies to sulfur drugs and insect bites, ear infection, dacrycystitis, fracture of nasal bone, endometriosis, gastroenteritis, a dental disability, residuals of cysts removal, left foot and toes injury, bilateral hip condition, right arm pain, right elbow condition, cervical spine disability, chest pain, inflammation of the lungs, BLE numbness (numbness of legs, right side pain and numbness), and service connection for left knee. The Board has also reopened claims for service connection for bilateral tinnitus, chest pain, inflammation of the lungs, BLE numbness and right-sided pain, a cervical spine disability, right arm pain, right elbow pain, and a left knee disorder.

The Board has dismissed the claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to the Veteran's death.