Hearing loss Board decisions

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and determined that there is a causal relationship between her in-service noise exposure and her current bilateral hearing loss. As such, the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is granted.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left shoulder disability and right ear hearing loss are service-connected. However, his claim for sleep apnea is remanded as there was insufficient evidence to determine its etiology.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for his service-connected bilateral hearing loss is being remanded due to the need for further examination and updated medical records.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for residuals of right little finger injury and bilateral hearing loss due to insufficient medical opinions regarding their etiology. The Veteran is required to provide additional evidence or undergo further examinations.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss has been rated at zero percent prior to September 9, 2020 and at ten percent thereafter. The Board found no evidence of a worsening of the disability earlier in the appeal period.,Service connection for COPD was denied as there is no persuasive evidence that the current condition began during service or is related to an in-service injury.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to non-compliance with previous remand directives and a lack of a new examination. The Veteran's left ear hearing loss is being remanded for further development, including obtaining an addendum medical opinion from a VA otolaryngologist.

The Veteran's worsened left ear hearing loss was caused by a VA-contracted surgeon performing tympanostomy with tube placement surgery at a non-VA facility in January 2010, which resulted in an unforeseeable event (ear drum perforation and conductive hearing loss). The appeal is granted.

The Veteran's service-connected hearing loss and tinnitus prevented him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation beginning January 3, 2019.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that there is no evidence of in-service noise exposure or a pre-existing condition aggravated by such exposure. The Board also found that the current disabilities are not related to service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a stiff neck disorder, bilateral foot disorder with swelling and pain, tinea pedis, hypertension, heart disorder (enlarged heart and coronary artery disease), bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus have all been denied.,Service connection has not been established for any of the claimed conditions.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are granted service connection. The ear disability claim is remanded for further development.

The Board has decided to remand the cases of bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus for further development, including obtaining additional VA treatment records and providing an addendum opinion regarding whether these conditions are related to service.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for various disabilities, including PTSD, an eye disability, hearing loss in the right ear, cervical spine disability, bilateral knee disability, left foot disability, radiculopathy of the right lower extremity, radiculopathy of the bilateral upper extremities, and bilateral shoulder disabilities. The remand requires additional development to address the claims.

The Veteran's claim to reopen his service connection for right ear hearing loss disability is granted. The Board has decided that the case should be remanded for further evaluation and evidence collection.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss as there was no evidence of a nexus between the Veteran's active-duty service and his current hearing loss disability.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus have been reopened. The Board has determined that a new examination is needed to determine the etiology of his bilateral hearing loss, as the April 2010 VA examiner did not adequately address this issue.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection for hearing loss and tinnitus were not properly docketed under the modernized appeal system (AMA) due to a form error. The Board has determined that these appeals should be remanded to issue a Statement of the Case (SOC).

The Veteran's PTSD and major depressive disorder are granted as they are at least as likely as not related to service.,Right ear hearing loss is denied as there is no current diagnosis of the condition.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed in several areas, including obtaining a supplemental statement of the case for one issue and requesting authorization to obtain medical records. The Veteran's claims for service connection are also remanded due to inadequate opinions regarding the nature and etiology of his conditions.

The Board has granted service connection for right ear hearing loss and tinnitus, but denied service connection for left ear hearing loss. The decision is based on the Veteran's current diagnoses and evidence showing a link to military noise exposure.