Hearing loss Board decisions

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss but has remanded the issue of service connection for tinnitus due to conflicting medical opinions.

The Board has remanded the claims for increase ratings, service connection, and SMC due to new evidence received since the March 2020 statement of the case. The TDIU claim is also being remanded as it may be affected by the readjudication of other claims.

The Veteran's death was not due to willful misconduct and he had been continuously rated as totally disabled for the 10 years immediately preceding his death. However, DIC under 38 U.S.C. § 1318 is denied because the Veteran did not meet all criteria (not rated as 100% disabled for 10 years prior to death and not a former POW). The issue of service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death is remanded.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is aggravated by his service-connected tinnitus, and thus grants service connection for this condition as secondary to the tinnitus.

The Veteran's petition to reopen the previously denied claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus was granted.,Service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied.

The Board has remanded the case due to concerns about the validity of audiometry results from the Veteran's enlistment examination and the need for further clarification on whether his hearing loss is related to service, including noise exposure during active duty.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's in-service noise exposure is at least as likely as not related to his current condition. Service connection for bilateral hearing loss remains pending and will be remanded.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unemployable for the entire period on appeal, meeting the criteria for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU).

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied because his current hearing impairment does not meet the VA criteria for a disability.

The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 30 percent for other specified trauma and stressor related disorder was denied, as the evidence did not support symptoms consistent with a higher rating. The claim for TDIU prior to March 7, 2022, was also denied due to the Veteran's service-connected disabilities not rendering him unable to obtain or maintain substantially gainful employment.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that the Veteran's current left ear hearing loss is not related to his military service due to lack of evidence of a significant threshold shift during service and conflicting medical opinions.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea as secondary to his service-connected disabilities, including bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, PTSD, deviated nasal septum, and hypertension.

The Veteran's appeal for a higher evaluation for PTSD and TDIU is remanded due to inadequate examination in the previous rating decision.

The Board has determined that the evidence is in at least approximate balance as to whether the Veteran's hearing loss is causally related to in-service acoustic trauma, and thus service connection for bilateral hearing loss is granted.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development due to his failure to appear for scheduled VA examinations. The claims include ratings for radiculopathy, hearing loss, and a right knee disorder.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss as there is no current diagnosis of the condition for VA purposes.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss is remanded due to the need for further VA evaluation and treatment records.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and bilateral hearing loss need further review due to outstanding VA treatment records and a previous examination being invalid.

The Board dismissed the appeal for bilateral hearing loss for accrued benefits purposes due to withdrawal by the Appellant. The Board granted service connection for tinnitus for accrued benefits purposes.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that the Veteran's current diagnosis of hearing loss is related to his in-service noise exposure and giving him the benefit of the doubt.