Hearing loss Board decisions

The Board has remanded the case due to inconsistencies in medical opinions and further development is needed.

The Board has remanded the claim for bilateral hearing loss due to insufficient compliance with prior remands and the need for a supplemental opinion.

The Board has granted a TDIU effective December 8, 2011. The issue of entitlement to a higher disability rating for PTSD prior to December 8, 2011 is remanded.

The Board has granted the appellant's appeal, finding that his character of discharge from military service is no longer a bar to receiving VA benefits. As a result, he is now eligible for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and PTSD.

The Veteran's claim for increased ratings for bilateral hearing loss was denied prior to May 6, 2022 and from May 6, 2022. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating.

The Veteran's ischemic heart disease and prostate cancer are presumed to be caused by herbicide exposure in service, specifically Agent Orange. Bilateral hearing loss is also granted.,Service connection for a right groin scar secondary to prostate cancer is remanded.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is at least as likely as not related to his military service, granting service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's hearing loss has been rated as noncompensable, and the Board finds that his hearing acuity does not warrant a higher rating.

The Veteran's claims for Graves' disease, left foot plantar fascitis and idiopathic peripheral neuropathy (to include as secondary to Graves' disease), gastrointestinal disorder (to include as secondary to Graves' disease), heart disorder, and right ear hearing loss have all been denied. The Board found no evidence of current symptoms or service connection.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is currently manifested by no worse than Level I hearing acuity in both ears, resulting in a noncompensable disability rating. The Board denied the claim for an increased rating as there was not substantial evidence to support a compensable rating.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claim for service connection for right ear hearing loss due to inadequate examination and opinion regarding the significance of in-service noise exposure.

The Veteran was granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected prostate cancer residuals and major depressive disorder, which precluded him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a left shoulder disorder, an initial rating in excess of 50 percent until November 14, 2019, and in excess of 70 percent thereafter, for PTSD, and an initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss are all remanded due to incomplete STRs, need for additional medical opinions, and the possibility of worsening symptoms.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a right ear hearing loss disability has been reopened due to new evidence. The case is remanded for further examination and opinion regarding the relationship between his current hearing loss and his active service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for an initial, compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss and service connection for diabetes. The decision found that there was no evidence of a current diagnosis of diabetes and that the Veteran did not have a currently diagnosed disability related to his in-service exposure to herbicides.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and bilateral otosclerosis were denied as there was no evidence of a chronic condition in service or within the presumptive period, and the medical opinions did not support a link to service.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for a chest muscle disorder was dismissed as the Veteran withdrew his appeal during the hearing.,Service connection for bilateral hearing loss was denied because there is no evidence of chronic hearing loss in service or within one year after separation, and the current hearing loss does not meet VA criteria for disability. The Board found that the Veteran's current hearing loss is less likely related to military noise exposure.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's currently diagnosed bilateral hearing loss had its onset in service and granted service connection for this condition.

The Board denied an increased disability rating for bilateral sensorineural hearing loss, finding that the evidence did not support a higher rating prior to November 12, 2021, and assigned a 30 percent rating thereafter.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for bilateral hearing loss, bladder cancer, and lower extremity neuropathy due to potential exposure to herbicide agents in Korea. The AOJ is instructed to conduct additional research into the Veteran's potential exposure.