Hearing loss Board decisions

The Board has decided to remand the case due to issues with the validity of a previous VA hearing loss examination. The Veteran will be asked to have his ears cleaned before another examination is scheduled.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus. The cases of bilateral hearing loss, back disability, and an acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD) are remanded due to the need for additional examinations.

The Veteran's appeal was denied as his PTSD did not meet the criteria for a higher rating than 50 percent, and he is also denied TDIU based on his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is currently rated as noncompensable prior to November 23, 2021 and at a 40 percent rating thereafter. The Veteran's PTSD has been rated as 50 percent prior to December 14, 2021 and at a 70 percent rating thereafter.,The Board finds that the evidence does not support higher ratings for either condition during any of the periods on appeal.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened, but the Board has determined that additional medical opinions are needed to determine the etiology of his left shoulder disorder, lumbar spine disorder, right wrist disorder, and bilateral hearing loss.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for left ear hearing loss as there is no current disability meeting VA criteria.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability and tinnitus were dismissed due to the death of the Veteran during the appeal process.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for bilateral hearing loss and PTSD are being remanded due to duty to assist errors. The VA must obtain updated audiometry reports from March 2018 and November 2017, as well as private treatment records from Drs. TL and JP.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete audiometric test results from December 9, 2019. The Veteran's hearing loss condition is being reviewed again for a possible rating adjustment.

The appeal for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is dismissed. The appeals for lumbosacral strain, a bilateral peripheral nerve condition (sciatica), and pes planus are remanded.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus but has remanded the issue of service connection for bilateral hearing loss due to insufficient evidence in the previous VA examination.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient documentation of private treatment records that may have established hearing loss prior to diagnosis.

The Veteran's claim for an effective date earlier than February 27, 2013 for tinnitus is denied as there was no communication prior to that date indicating intent to apply for service connection.,The Veteran's claim for an effective date earlier than June 27, 2006 for psychiatric disorder (post-traumatic stress disorder with major depressive disorder) is dismissed as a matter of law due to the finality of the April 2007 rating decision awarding service connection and assigning a noncompensable rating.,The Veteran's claim for an effective date earlier than February 21, 2014 for increased ratings for bilateral hearing loss is remanded as there was no evidence showing that any increase in disability or additional disability following the May 2011 left long finger trigger release was proximately due to VA's fault.,The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for multiple actinic keratoses and melanoma is remanded as there was no evidence showing that any increase in disability or additional disability following the May 2011 left long finger trigger release was proximately due to VA's fault.,The Veteran's claim for TDIU due to service-connected disabilities is remanded as there was no evidence showing that any increase in disability or additional disability following the May 2011 left long finger trigger release was proximately due to VA's fault.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for an initial rating for bilateral hearing loss and service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II due to the need for a new examination and development of his in-service exposure claim.

The Veteran's claim for reopening of service connection for tinnitus was granted, and the claim for secondary service connection for tinnitus due to right ear hearing loss was also granted.,The Veteran's right ear hearing loss is currently rated as noncompensable.

The Veteran's representative withdrew the issues of entitlement to service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus at a Board hearing, leading to their dismissal.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability is related to his in-service noise exposure and grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not render him unable to secure and follow substantially gainful employment as of May 1, 2018.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a lumbar spine disability has been fully granted, resulting in the dismissal of this issue.,New and material evidence was not received sufficient to reopen the claim for service connection for a skin disability.

The Veteran's service connection claims for left and right foot disabilities, heart disability, ankle disabilities, and pseudofolliculitis barbae have been granted. The claim of reopening for a heart disability has also been granted. However, the issues regarding left and right ankle disabilities and left leg disability are still pending as they require further examination.