Hearing loss Board decisions

The Veteran's claims for service connection for TBI, high blood pressure, and headaches have been remanded. The effective dates for the grant of service connection for tinnitus and unspecified anxiety disorder (claimed as PTSD and mental conditions) are denied due to lack of prior unadjudicated claims. The effective date for hearing loss is denied as it was received within one year after separation from service.

The Board has denied the claim for service connection of right ear hearing loss, finding that it is not related to military noise exposure and does not have continuity since service.

The Veteran's combined service-connected disabilities, including PTSD with anxiety and depression, left shoulder strain, cervical strain, and other conditions, rendered him unable to secure or maintain substantially gainful employment from November 25, 2009, to February 9, 2011. The Board granted a TDIU on an extraschedular basis for this period.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for a current VA examination to assess the severity of his service-connected bilateral hearing loss.

The Veteran's claims for left ear hearing loss, hypertension, atopic dermatitis, peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities, and posttraumatic stress disorder are all remanded due to insufficient medical opinions regarding their relationship to service.

The request to reopen the issue of entitlement to service connection for hematuria was dismissed.,Service connection for hearing loss is granted and a rating will be assigned based on current evidence. The claim for Parkinson's disease (claimed as due to Camp Lejeune contaminated water) is also granted.,Remand is ordered for further action including TDIU determination.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claim for a bilateral hearing loss disability due to inadequate examination and insufficient evidence. The case will be returned for further development.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is granted service connection. The claims for left hip, shoulder, right knee, and left knee disabilities are remanded due to inadequate VA examination opinions. The claim for a rating in excess of 30 percent for the lung disability (left pneumothorax) remains pending.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability and tinnitus have been evaluated as noncompensable. The Board has found that the evidence does not support a higher rating, and thus the issues of increased ratings are REMANDED for further development.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied, while his claim for service connection for tinnitus is granted.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability is currently rated at 20 percent, effective December 4, 2019. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating prior to this date.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was rated at 10 percent from March 18, 2016 to November 4, 2019. The Board found the evidence in equipoise as to whether a 20 percent rating is warranted for this period and granted an initial 20 percent rating.

The Veteran's service connection for left ear hearing loss is denied as he does not have a current disability.,The Veteran's right ear hearing loss is rated at 20 percent, which is the minimum compensable rating. The Board finds that this rating adequately reflects his condition based on the VA examinations conducted.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient reasoning in the previous decision regarding the relationship between the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and service. The claim will be reconsidered with an addendum opinion from a VA examiner.

The Board has granted service connection for right ear hearing loss, finding that the Veteran's current hearing loss is related to noise exposure during his military service.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including sleep apnea, migraine headaches, TBI, and left ear hearing loss. The claims for new and material evidence for sleep apnea, initial higher ratings for migraine headaches, and a compensable rating for left ear hearing loss are all being reviewed due to recent developments in his case.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an eye disability, claimed as maculopathy, high cholesterol, and bilateral hearing loss is denied. The case is remanded to obtain a medical opinion regarding the Veteran's hearing loss.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was initially rated as 10 percent prior to October 24, 2019. Beginning on that date, the rating was increased to 20 percent.,Prior to October 24, 2019, the Veteran did not meet the criteria for a higher than 10 percent rating. From October 24, 2019 onwards, the evidence is in equipoise as to whether he meets the criteria for a 20 percent rating.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was rated at 10% prior to June 10, 2019 and then increased to 30% effective June 10, 2019. The claim for a higher rating is denied.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss is denied as his hearing acuity does not meet the criteria for a compensable rating under VA regulations.