Hearing loss Board decisions

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are granted service connection, as is a 100% rating for his service-connected back disability from May 7, 2007 to April 5, 2019. He also receives TDIU and aid and attendance special monthly compensation during this period.

The Veteran's hearing loss was rated at 10 percent from April 6, 2021 to September 13, 2021.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's tinnitus is related to service, and his bilateral hearing loss may be related to in-service noise exposure. However, further examination is needed to determine if these conditions are directly related to service.

The Board denied reopening of service connection for a back disorder, denied service connection for right ear hearing loss, left ear hearing loss, tinnitus, PTSD, right hip disorder, and right leg disorder. The Veteran did not have current disabilities for these conditions.

The Veteran's service connection claim for bilateral hearing loss is denied as he does not have a current diagnosis of bilateral hearing loss disability for VA compensation purposes.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss has been rated at 0 percent, the lowest possible rating under VA regulations. The Board found that his puretone thresholds did not meet criteria for a higher rating due to factors unrelated to service-connected hearing loss.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss and diabetic peripheral neuropathy of the sciatic nerves have been granted. The Veteran is currently receiving a disability rating of 40 percent for his right sciatic nerve condition, effective from January 5, 2021.

The Board has remanded the cases for additional development due to inadequate opinions in previous VA examinations and incomplete records. The Veteran's claims of service connection for various disabilities are pending.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have rendered him unemployable, and his claim for TDIU is granted.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection of left ear hearing loss has been dismissed due to the death of the Veteran.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for service connection for bilateral hearing loss before the Board could make a decision.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for right ear hearing loss, left ear hearing loss, and a neck disability have all been denied. The claim for gastritis was partially granted with a rating of 70% from March 1, 2018 to October 15, 2019, but then denied again from October 16, 2019. The Veteran's claim for dysthymia has been denied since October 16, 2019.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed for the Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss, a bilateral shoulder disorder, and a bilateral knee disorder. The case is being remanded to allow for further examination and medical opinions.

The Board has remanded the issues of entitlement to service connection for a left knee disability and left ear hearing loss due to outstanding VA treatment records.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, was denied as there is no evidence of a current disability related to her active duty service.,Service connection for right ear hearing loss was also denied due to the lack of evidence showing a current disability that meets VA criteria.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that there was no evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Board has denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that the Veteran's current hearing loss disability is not related to his active service. The evidence does not show chronic hearing loss in service or within a presumptive period, and there is no established continuity of symptomatology since service.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that the Veteran's current hearing loss is less likely than not related to his military service due to lack of evidence showing a permanent shift in hearing thresholds during or after service.

The Board has remanded the case due to deficiencies in the November 2018 VA opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's right ear hearing loss. The examiner is requested to address the significance of the threshold shift during service and Dr. Kujawa's research on delayed onset hearing loss.

The Board dismissed the appeals for service connection for Parkinson's disease and an increased rating for tinnitus. The TDIU appeal was dismissed prior to January 1, 2017, but granted since that date.