Hearing loss Board decisions

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for right and left fallen arches and heel pain, right and left plantar fasciitis, bilateral hearing loss, bilateral tinnitus, and acid reflux due to inadequate opinions regarding their etiology.

The Board has denied service connection for a right hip disability and hearing loss, finding that there is no evidence of these conditions during the appeal period prior to the Veteran's death.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss is currently rated as noncompensable. The Board finds that a compensable rating is not warranted.,Service connection for neuropathy of the left and right lower extremities has been granted, with evidence linking it to in-service herbicide exposure.,New and material evidence has been received to reopen the claim of service connection for pituitary adenoma. The Veteran's current vision loss in the right eye is being considered as secondary to his pituitary adenoma.

The Veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities (TDIU) is denied because the VA Form 21-8940 was not completed and submitted by the Veteran.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that there was no evidence of a nexus between the conditions and military service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss prior to September 7, 2022 and for a rating in excess of 20 percent for bilateral hearing loss from that date. The AOJ must obtain and consider the full October 2020 VA audiology examination report.

The Board has remanded the cases for additional development due to insufficient opinions from the VA examiner regarding otitis externa and its relation to bilateral hearing loss, as well as a need for an addendum opinion on the combined effect of service-connected disabilities.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate previous opinions and the need for a new VA examination.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, as secondary to his service-connected rhinitis, requires further review and a new examination.

The Board has remanded the cases of service connection for right ear hearing loss and an initial compensable rating for left ear hearing loss due to the Veteran's failure to appear for scheduled VA audiological examinations. The Board also ordered that all relevant VA and private treatment records be obtained.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and entitlement to an earlier effective date, finding no clear and unmistakable error in the prior rating decisions.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including other specified trauma and stressor related disorder, is granted as service connected. However, his bilateral hearing loss is denied as not incurred during or caused by his period of active service.

The Veteran requested to withdraw all his claims, including service connection for bilateral hearing loss, hypertension, a right shoulder disorder, a left shoulder disorder, a lumbar spine disorder, a left knee disorder, a right ankle disorder, a left ankle disorder, and a bilateral foot disorder. As a result, the appeals are dismissed.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is being remanded due to inadequate medical opinions provided in previous decisions. The Board will seek a new addendum opinion from a VA examiner to address the nature and etiology of the Veteran's hearing loss, including its relationship to active duty noise exposure.

The Veteran's request to reopen the claim for high cholesterol was dismissed. The Board remanded claims for service connection for hearing loss, diabetes mellitus, and hypertension.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss at any time on or after August 21, 2015 was denied as his hearing acuity has never been worse than Level II in the left ear and Level I in the right ear.,The Veteran's claim for TDIU based on service-connected disabilities was also denied because he is currently employed.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral sensorineural hearing loss claim should be remanded for an in-person VA examination to address the nature and etiology of his hearing loss, as well as whether it is related to service-connected disability or aggravated by a service-connected condition.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that the Veteran's present hearing loss is at least as likely as not related to his military service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not preclude him from obtaining and maintaining substantially gainful employment prior to June 10, 2021. Therefore, the claim for an earlier effective date for a TDIU is denied.

The Veteran's right ear hearing loss is granted service connection. The issue of service connection for a right-hand little finger disorder is remanded due to inadequate examination.