Hearing loss Board decisions

The Board has remanded the claims for bilateral hearing loss, hypertension, asthma, COPD, gout, and right ankle disability due to further development being required.

The Board has granted a TDIU beginning January 22, 2017 and denied it prior to that date. The Veteran's service-connected disabilities preclude him from securing and following substantially gainful employment as of January 22, 2017.

The Board denied service connection for sleep apnea and remanded the issue of a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current condition is at least as likely as not attributable to in-service noise exposure. Service connection for hearing loss was withdrawn by the Veteran.

The Board has determined that the September 2014 rating decision is not final and the Veteran's claims have been on appeal since then. The Board finds that a remand is warranted for addendum VA opinions to address whether the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is secondary to his service-connected traumatic brain injury (TBI) and/or tinnitus, as well as an addendum VA opinion to address whether the Veteran's right and left knee osteoarthritis are related to his in-service jeep accident. The AOJ should also attempt to obtain any outstanding private treatment records.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus have been granted service connection.,An initial evaluation in excess of 30 percent for PTSD is remanded, as well as the determination of TDIU.

The Board has granted service connection for diabetes mellitus, hypertension, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus due to presumed exposure to herbicide agents during service in Thailand. The Veteran's current conditions are considered at least as likely as not related to his military service.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is granted service connection. The Veteran's PTSD with MDD is granted a 50% rating prior to December 4, 2019 and a 70% rating thereafter. A TDIU determination is granted from August 30, 2021.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is rated at 10 percent from July 7, 2021. Prior to this date, the rating was zero percent.

The Board has determined that the AOJ needs to obtain and associate with the file all records associated with the Veteran's participation in VA's Vocational Rehabilitation and Education (VR&E) program, provide him appropriate VA examinations to determine the nature and etiology of his bilateral hearing loss and knee disabilities, and to discern the level of functional impairment resulting from his service-connected psychiatric disabilities. The AOJ is also required to readjudicate the Veteran's appealed issues in light of the totality of evidence of record.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for a right knee disability, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and an acquired psychiatric disorder (PTSD and adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depressed mood) has been dismissed. The Board found that the Veteran withdrew his appeals regarding these issues at his July 2022 Board hearing.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for right ear hearing loss and right foot plantar fasciitis due to a lack of VA examinations. The Veteran will be scheduled for new VA examinations to determine the current severity of her service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability has worsened, and a new examination is needed to determine the current severity of the condition.

The Veteran's service connection claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus have been granted. The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disability claim is remanded, as well as his initial rating for psoriasis and total disability rating due to individual unemployability.,Service connection has been established for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus based on the presumption of soundness at entry into service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's tinnitus and current hearing loss disabilities are service-connected, but his low back disability requires further examination and development.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, but granted his claim for reopening of a previously denied claim for tinnitus.

The Veteran's appeal for increased ratings for bilateral hearing loss was dismissed due to the withdrawal of his attorney.

The Veteran's application to reopen a claim of entitlement to service connection for a psychiatric disability has been granted. Service connection is also granted for tinnitus, but the claims for hearing loss, headache disability, COPD, eye disability, prostate disability, erectile dysfunction, skin disability, stomach disability, arthritis, bilateral foot disability, left hip disability, right hip disability, left knee disability, right knee disability, left lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, and right lower extremity peripheral neuropathy are remanded for further development.

The Veteran's claim for service connection of a right foot disorder has been reopened. His bilateral hearing loss is found to be related to his military service. The claims for back disability and right foot disorder are remanded due to the need for further medical examination.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral tinnitus. The decision on the issue of service connection for bilateral hearing loss is remanded.