Hearing loss Board decisions

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence regarding whether the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss is related to service. The VA will obtain an addendum opinion from a VA audiologist.

The Veteran's PTSD is granted service connection. An initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss prior to September 7, 2016 was denied. From September 7, 2016 to September 26, 2019, an initial 10% rating for bilateral hearing loss was granted. A higher than 50% rating for bilateral hearing loss after September 26, 2019 is denied.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate previous examinations and the need for an addendum opinion regarding the significance of the lack of pure tone testing at 4000 Hertz during service.

The Veteran's bilateral sensorineural hearing loss is granted as service connected, with a rating of 20%.

The Board has remanded the case due to an open medical question regarding whether the Veteran has a bilateral hearing loss disability for VA purposes and because another etiology opinion is needed on both the primary claim of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and the secondary theory of entitlement based on tinnitus.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and an eye disorder other than cataracts have been dismissed due to the appellant's death.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for consideration of an extraschedular rating due to his auditory processing disorder, which makes his hearing loss disability worse.

The Veteran's claim for bilateral pes planus was denied due to a finding that the condition did not aggravate a pre-existing foot disorder. The new evidence does not provide sufficient information to reopen this claim.,The Veteran's claim for right ear hearing loss was granted as it is etiologically related to acoustic trauma sustained during service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus have been reopened, and the appeal of these issues is granted. The VA has remanded both issues to obtain additional evidence and conduct further examinations.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are found to be etiologically related to in-service noise exposure, resulting in a grant of service connection for both conditions.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, but has remanded the issue of service connection for bilateral hearing loss due to outstanding audiometric testing results.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss, diabetes mellitus, sleep apnea, hypertension, and a broken right hand due to incomplete medical records from his service.

The Veteran's hearing loss was restored to a 90 percent rating from February 1, 2018 to June 18, 2020 and granted a 100 percent rating starting on June 18, 2020. The issue of SMC based on deafness in both ears is remanded.

The Board denied service connection for a skin rash and bilateral hearing loss, finding that the evidence did not support a link to active service.,The Veteran's representative argued his skin rash was related to heroin use during service, but the VA examiner found no evidence of an STI or other condition in service. The examiner also concluded there was insufficient medical evidence to establish a nexus between current dermatitis and urticaria and past heroin use.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss from November 2, 2015 to November 22, 2021 was denied. The claim for a rating greater than 50 percent for bilateral hearing loss since November 22, 2021 was also denied.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that the Veteran's current condition is causally related to in-service noise exposure.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss began during service and is therefore granted as a result of in-service noise exposure.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss and lumbosacral strain due to inadequate examination findings. The Veteran is seeking higher ratings for these conditions, which are currently rated as noncompensable and 20 percent respectively.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings for right ear hearing loss, left ear hearing loss, and residuals of a right 5th metatarsal fracture have all been denied by the Board.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for right ear hearing loss has been granted. The case is remanded for a compensable rating for left ear hearing loss and for determining the cause of his prostate cancer residuals and basal cell carcinoma.