Hearing loss Board decisions

The Board has reopened the previously denied claims for service connection for acid reflux, tinnitus, and hearing loss. The claims for tendonitis of the right foot and left foot remain denied.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence and need for further examination. The issues include prostate disability, erectile dysfunction, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, lumbar spine disability, and peripheral neuropathy of both upper and lower extremities.

The Veteran's hypertension is granted service connection. The claims for bilateral hearing loss, erectile dysfunction (ED), right lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, and left lower extremity peripheral neuropathy are remanded.

The Board has remanded the case for further development due to the need for a dental examination to determine if the Veteran's loss of two front teeth is related to service.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran did not have a current disability as defined by VA standards. The most probative opinions were against a relationship between these disabilities and in-service noise exposure.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation, as he voluntarily retired and has no evidence showing his symptoms prevent him from working.

The Board denied the claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) due to service-connected disabilities, finding that the appellant's service-connected conditions alone do not prevent him from obtaining or maintaining substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities rendered him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation from March 1, 2014. The claim for earlier effective date of SMC based on housebound status is denied as the Veteran was not permanently confined to his home prior to January 23, 2014.

The Board denied an initial compensable rating for service-connected bilateral hearing loss prior to December 12, 2017 and a greater than 10 percent rating thereafter. The appeal is still pending as the appellant has not indicated satisfaction with the increase granted.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, but has remanded all issues for additional development. The malaria and tinea versicolor ratings are also remanded.

The Board has decided to remand the issues of service connection for left knee osteoarthritis and bilateral hearing loss. The Veteran's claim for service connection for left knee osteoarthritis is granted, but his claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss remains pending.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss due to service exposure, but a proper medical opinion is needed to determine if the hearing loss existed prior to service and was aggravated by military noise exposure.

The Veteran's initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss prior to February 9, 2021 is denied.,The Veteran's increased rating in excess of 10 percent for bilateral hearing loss from February 9, 2021 is denied.,The Veteran's initial increased rating in excess of 10 percent for lumbar spine degenerative arthritis prior to April 26, 2019 and in excess of 20 percent thereafter is remanded.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss has been reopened, but the issue of whether his current hearing loss is related to military service remains unresolved.,The Veteran's hypertension claim was also remanded due to insufficient medical opinions regarding its relationship to his service-connected diabetes mellitus and ischemic heart disease.

The Veteran's claim for higher ratings for PTSD and new effective dates for service connection claims were denied. The Veteran was granted a 70% rating for PTSD from March 17, 2014 to August 5, 2015.

The Veteran's death was not recognized for DIC and death pension benefits due to the marriage occurring too late. The appellant is being remanded to clarify whether she wishes to proceed as a substitute party or solely for accrued benefits purposes.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the evidence is at least evenly balanced as to whether these conditions are related to service. The decision was based on the Veteran's testimony of in-service noise exposure and her current symptoms.

The Veteran's service connection claim for tinnitus is denied as there is no evidence of tinnitus in service or at any time since service.,Service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied because the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of hearing loss for VA purposes.,The Board finds that the Veteran's ED is secondary to his service-connected Raynaud's phenomenon with scleroderma/CREST syndrome.

Service connection for obstructive sleep apnea is granted.,Service connection for bilateral hearing loss is granted.,Service connection for tuberculosis is denied.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is remanded for extraschedular consideration due to his service-connected disabilities prior to June 6, 2019.