Hearing loss Board decisions

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to new evidence and incomplete VA medical records. The Veteran will need a new examination for his skin condition, hemorrhoids, bilateral hearing loss, and residuals of a head injury.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss and low back disorder due to additional development being needed.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss has been evaluated as noncompensable (zero percent) since January 12, 2016. The Board found the evidence did not support a compensable rating for his bilateral hearing loss.

The Board has determined that additional evidentiary development is necessary prior to the adjudication of the issue on appeal, including obtaining SSA records and providing an addendum opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss.

The Veteran's tinnitus claim is granted. The Board has remanded the remaining issues for further development.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss and an acquired psychiatric disability due to missing VA examinations. The claim for service connection is being remanded.

The Board has granted service connection for right ear hearing loss and tinnitus disabilities, finding that the Veteran's symptoms are related to in-service noise exposure.

The Veteran's hearing loss was evaluated and found to be at Level I in the right ear and Level II in the left ear, resulting in a noncompensable rating for bilateral hearing loss.

The Board denied the claim of service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that there is no evidence to support a relationship between the Veteran's current hearing loss and his in-service noise exposure.

The Veteran's cervical spine disability, lumbar spine degenerative disc disease, tinnitus, and bilateral hearing loss are all found to have originated during active service.,New evidence has been submitted that supports the claim for each of these conditions.

The Board has denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, psychiatric disability (to include PTSD), hyperlipidemia, cervical spine disability, thoracolumbar spine disability, cervical radiculopathy of the upper extremities, and lumbar radiculopathy of the lower extremities. The evidence does not meet the criteria for a current disability in each case.

The Board has determined that further development is required to obtain the Veteran's service treatment records and to provide VA examinations for his musculoskeletal disorders, as well as any left ear hearing loss and low blood pressure diagnoses. The claims are being remanded.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability and lumbar strain have been granted service connection. From April 19, 2021, the Veteran is granted TDIU based on his service-connected PTSD.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's service connection claims, including bilateral hearing loss disability, hemorrhoids, hypertension, PTSD and bipolar disorder, right elbow lateral epicondylitis, left elbow lateral epicondylitis, lower extremity radiculopathy, lumbosacral strain, knee strains, and pes cavus. The issues are remanded due to the need for additional development of records.

The appeal for a compensable rating prior to February 3, 2022, and in excess of 10 percent thereafter for bilateral hearing loss is dismissed due to the Veteran's death.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for a new examination to assess the severity of his service-connected bilateral hearing loss and for additional development regarding TDIU.

The Veteran's claim for increased ratings for bilateral hearing loss is granted from December 9, 2019. However, the issue of whether a separate evaluation for psychiatric impairment as a manifestation of his service-connected bilateral hearing loss is remanded.

The Veteran is granted a total disability based on individual unemployability (TDIU) effective from May 10, 2011. The issue of special monthly pension (SMP) benefits is dismissed as moot due to the greater benefit provided by TDIU.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including tinnitus, knee conditions, and bilateral hearing loss, have rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment since June 16, 2015. The Board has granted a TDIU on an extraschedular basis for the entire appeal period.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities, finding that his service-connected conditions did not render him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment.