Hearing loss Board decisions

The Veteran's claim for a compensable evaluation prior to October 5, 2022 and an evaluation in excess of 10 percent thereafter for bilateral hearing loss is denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support earlier effective dates.

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

The Veteran's 20% evaluation for bilateral hearing loss is restored from December 1, 2019 to July 19, 2021. The service connection claim for a psychiatric disorder remains remanded.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional examinations and opinions to determine the nature of his heart condition, PTSD, asthma, and sleep apnea, as well as their relationship to service. The hearing loss claim remains denied.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have not rendered him unable to care for his daily personal needs without assistance from others, or unable to protect himself from the hazards and dangers of daily living on a regular basis. The Board denied entitlement to SMC based on need for aid and attendance or housebound status due to lack of evidence showing he is bedridden or so helpless that he requires regular aid and attendance.

The Veteran's authorized representative withdrew the appeal regarding bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, thus these issues are dismissed.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the relationship between the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and service, as well as the link between his tinnitus and hearing loss. The Veteran will need a new VA examination to address these issues.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus disabilities are related to noise exposure during service, and the Board has granted service connection for both conditions.

The Veteran's claim of service connection for bilateral hearing loss has been granted due to the submission of new and relevant evidence. The case is now remanded for further review.

The Veteran's right ankle sprain, tinnitus, and bilateral hearing loss are all granted. However, the Board has determined that additional evidence is needed for service connection on issues related to gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), headaches, left knee disorder, left thumb scar, and joint pain.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for service connection and a compensable rating for hearing loss in the right and left ears, respectively.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus limit his ability to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation, but he is not considered unable to do so due to these conditions alone. The Board finds that the Veteran has limited occupational capacity in quiet environments and positions that do not require ongoing communication with coworkers, supervisors, or the general public.

The Veteran's appeal for an increased rating for TBI and a TDIU is remanded due to inadequate examinations. The VA will schedule new examinations to determine the nature and severity of the Veteran's TBI and TBI residuals, including whether erectile dysfunction is proximately due or aggravated by TBI.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for right ear hearing loss, finding that there is no evidence of a current disability and that any potential hearing loss was not due to in-service noise exposure.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to an inadequate January 2020 medical opinion and a need for a new examination or opinion regarding whether the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss had its onset during service or is related to his military service.

The Board denied service connection for right ear hearing loss, ulcerative colitis, and hypertension. The Veteran's right ear hearing loss was not found to meet the criteria for a current disability under VA regulations.,Service connection for ulcerative colitis was denied as there is no evidence of its onset during or related to service.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is granted as it was caused by in-service noise exposure.,Service connection for tinnitus is granted as the Veteran has a current condition that manifested during service and continues to this day.,Left Achilles' tendonitis is granted as the Veteran had an injury in service, which resulted in continuous symptoms since then.

The Board has granted service connection for right ear hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the evidence is at least evenly balanced as to whether these conditions had their onset during military service.

The Board has granted service connection for left ear hearing loss, but denied service connection for right ear hearing loss.

The Veteran's hearing loss was evaluated as Level I in the right ear and Level II in the left ear, resulting in a noncompensable (zero percent) disability rating under DC 6100. The Board found that there were no examination findings warranting a higher rating.