Hearing loss Board decisions

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete documentation of hearing test results from a VA audiology clinic. The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for bilateral hearing loss is pending and will be reconsidered with the new information.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was rated at 10 percent effective July 19, 2022. Prior to that date, the rating remained noncompensable.

The Veteran's appeals for various conditions and ratings are being remanded due to procedural issues, need for additional examinations, and the need to address claims of entitlement to an effective date prior to August 15, 2013, for asthma on the basis of clear and unmistakable error (CUE).

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including coronary artery disease, diabetes mellitus type II, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus, prevent him from establishing and maintaining substantially gainful employment. The Board has granted total disability based on individual unemployability (TDIU).

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional medical opinions to address the severity of his coronary artery disease prior to January 21, 2020. The Board will also consider whether a total disability rating based on individual unemployability should be granted from August 25, 2014.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for TDIU prior to May 2, 2011 due to a lack of evidence showing that his service-connected disabilities precluded him from obtaining or maintaining substantially gainful employment.

The Board has decided to remand the cases of bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus for further examination and opinion due to a lack of consideration of the Veteran's lay statements regarding his noise exposure during active service.

The Board has decided to remand the cases for further examination and opinion regarding the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and psychiatric disorders, including depression, anxiety, and alcoholism.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is rated as noncompensable, and his tinnitus is rated at the maximum allowable under VA regulations.,The Veteran's CKD was not rated higher than 60 percent prior to July 19, 2019.,The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not meet the criteria for a TDIU or DEA effective date as of August 31, 2010.

The Board has denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss due to lack of a nexus between the current disability and military service. The issues of service connection for left knee and right knee disabilities are remanded as VA records have not been obtained.

The Veteran's appeal to increase his rating for bilateral hearing loss has been withdrawn, and the Board is dismissing the case as a result.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus and hypertension are granted as presumptively related to service exposure to herbicide agents in Thailand. The bilateral hearing loss is also granted, with the Board finding it at least as likely as not related to service. However, the Veteran's bilateral knee disability and back disability remain pending due to a need for additional medical examination.,The Veteran's bilateral knee disability and back disability are remanded for further evaluation.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation, and the Board has granted his TDIU claim.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for the claims of neck, right shoulder, left thumb, and middle finger laceration disorders. The low back disorder claim was also dismissed.,The Veteran's hearing loss disability is not service-connected.

The Veteran's service connection claims for left and right ear disabilities, hearing loss, recurrent ear infections, ruptured ear drum, lumbar degenerative disc disease, tinea corporis, right foot disability, and left foot disability have been denied.,Service connection was granted for lumbar degenerative disc disease.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, both of which are related to in-service noise exposure.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus is granted. The Board finds that the evidence is in equipoise and grants service connection for bilateral hearing loss, pes planus of the left foot, and pes planus of the right foot due to their relationship with pre-existing conditions.

The Veteran's spouse is not eligible for PCAFC benefits due to a lack of caregiver training and the failure to complete assessments within 90 days. The Board has remanded the case to ensure proper completion of these requirements.

The Board has dismissed the appeal for a higher rating for right ear hearing loss. The claim for an increased rating of PTSD is granted, but remanded due to lack of VA examination for bilateral glaucoma.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus as there was no evidence linking these conditions to the Veteran's active duty service.