Hearing loss Board decisions

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss is currently rated at 0 percent, and the Board has decided to remand this case for a new VA examination to assess the current severity of his condition.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection for type 2 diabetes mellitus, Parkinson's disease, bilateral hearing loss, and sleep apnea are remanded due to inadequate development of his exposure history and potential etiology.,Specifically, the Board found that there was insufficient information regarding the Veteran's alleged exposures to environmental toxins during service. The claims for service connection for type 2 diabetes mellitus, Parkinson's disease, bilateral hearing loss, and sleep apnea are all remanded due to this lack of development.

The Veteran's claims for hypertension, cardiovascular conditions, and left ear hearing loss have been granted. The remaining issues of service connection for headaches, back condition, prostate condition, bladder condition, kidney condition, hepatitis, and nicotine dependence are dismissed as the appeal is not about service connection at all.,The Veteran's claim for a back condition has been remanded due to incomplete development.

The Board has determined that a remand is necessary due to the inadequacy of the August 2020 VA addendum opinion, which did not address missing audiometric results from the Veteran's 1965 separation examination.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are inextricably intertwined, as they both involve noise exposure during service. The Board is remanding these cases to obtain updated VA treatment records and a new VA audiological examination to determine if any current hearing loss disability arose during service or is otherwise related to service.

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

The Veteran's unspecified trauma or stressor related disorder, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus are all granted as service connected. The Board found that the Veteran had exposure to noise during his military service which is considered sufficient for these conditions.

The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including right and left ear hearing loss, right ankle disorder, hip strains, restless leg syndromes, vascular disease, edema/varicose veins, chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), and fibromyalgia. The decision also noted that the Veteran's anxiety disorder was granted at a 50% rating for the initial period from June 24, 2011 to September 13, 2021.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss was denied as his hearing acuity did not meet the criteria for a higher rating.

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

The Veteran's claim for service connection for right ear hearing loss is denied as he does not have a current disability for VA purposes.,The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for upper back, right ankle, and right knee disabilities due to insufficient information regarding the Veteran's periods of active duty, ACDUTRA, and INACDUTRA.,Further development is needed to determine if any of these disabilities are related to the Veteran's service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for left ankle fracture residuals and bilateral hearing loss have been denied as there is no evidence of in-service injury or noise exposure that could be linked to the current disabilities.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the claim of service connection for bilateral hearing loss. The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is related to his in-service noise exposure, and therefore service connection is granted.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient examination regarding the relationship between bilateral hearing loss and service-connected tinnitus.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is presumed to have been incurred in service due to continuous symptoms since separation.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is currently rated as noncompensable. The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining VA examinations and opinions regarding his dental condition (likely periodontal disease) and back condition.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that these conditions are due to noise exposure during service. The Veteran's lay statements and a private medical opinion support this determination.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for a new VA examination regarding his hearing loss and tinnitus claims. The current evidence does not support a finding of service connection.

The Board has decided to remand the cases of bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus for further development. The Veteran's claims will be reviewed again with a focus on whether his hearing problems had their clinical onset during service or are due to an event or incident of his period of active service.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including monoclonal gammopathy, sleep apnea, stomach lining thickening, bilateral hearing loss, hydrocele of the testicle, and right hip scar. The claim for service connection for migraine headaches was reopened but not granted.