Hearing loss Board decisions

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and bilateral tinnitus, finding an approximate balance of evidence supporting the Veteran's claims.

The Veteran's claims for service connection on multiple conditions have been dismissed due to his death during the appeal process.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are related to his active duty service.

The Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss is related to in-service noise exposure, and the Board has granted service connection for this condition.

The Board has determined that new and relevant evidence has been received to warrant readjudication of the claims for service connection for tinnitus, bilateral hearing loss, a psychiatric disorder (schizoaffective disorder and depression), and low back disorder. The claim for compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 for prostate cancer is not warranted.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is currently rated at 10 percent, and the Board denied a higher rating.,Service connection for loss of balance was also denied.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, gout of the bilateral feet, and bilateral foot and knee disabilities due to insufficient medical opinions regarding their etiology. The Veteran is seeking service connection for these conditions based on in-service noise exposure.

The Veteran's appeal for higher ratings for PTSD, bilateral hearing loss, and right hand little finger scar was denied. The Board found that the severity of the Veteran's symptoms did not warrant a rating in excess of 50 percent for PTSD or 20 percent for bilateral hearing loss.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further development to address the etiology of his BPH and urinary/bladder conditions, as well as adjudicate his TDIU claim.

The appeals for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus have been dismissed due to the appellant's death.

The Veteran requested to withdraw his appeal challenging the severance of service connection for bilateral hearing loss.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss has been granted. Initial ratings of 10 percent have been assigned for left lower extremity radiculopathy (sciatic nerve) and left lower extremity radiculopathy (femoral nerve). The initial rating for degenerative arthritis of the spine remains at 40 percent.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including ischemic heart disease, bilateral upper and lower extremity neuropathy, diabetes mellitus type II, and hearing loss, have rendered him unable to engage in substantially gainful employment. The Board finds that the evidence is at least in equipoise as to whether his service-connected conditions preclude him from working.

The Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss is related to in-service noise exposure, and the Board has granted service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further development to address the etiology of his BPH and urinary/bladder conditions, as well as adjudicate his TDIU claim.

The Veteran's initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss is being remanded due to the failure to schedule a VA examination.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that it is related to his in-service noise exposure.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, specifically to obtain audiogram results from June 2017 and March 2022. The Veteran's claim for an increased rating of his service-connected bilateral hearing loss is also being remanded.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for right ear hearing loss and left ear hearing loss due to incomplete VA treatment records, including audiometric results from January 15, 2019 and February 19, 2020. The Veteran will need to provide updated VA treatment records and a new VA auditory examination is required.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate rationale in previous VA examinations regarding whether the Veteran's right ear hearing loss is related to his service-connected left ear hearing loss and tinnitus.