Hearing loss Board decisions

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations to assess the severity of her disabilities, including myofascial pain, right shoulder degenerative joint disease, lumbar spine degenerative joint disease, bilateral knee internal derangement, bilateral plantar fasciitis with hallux limitus, and abdominal scars.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection and initial ratings for his bilateral hearing loss, obstructive sleep apnea, and peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities require additional development due to non-compliance with prior remand directives.

The Board has granted service connection for right ear hearing loss and reopened the claim of new and material evidence for sleep apnea. The Veteran's preexisting conductive hearing loss in the right ear is more likely than not aggravated by active duty service.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability has been rated as noncompensable throughout the appeal period, with puretone thresholds averaging 45-50 dB in both ears and speech recognition scores of at least 80%. The Board found that these results do not meet the criteria for a compensable rating.

The Board denied service connection for a left shoulder and left bicep disability, as well as bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus. The Veteran's claims were not supported by competent evidence linking the disabilities to his military service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including dysthymic disorder with anxiety symptoms, migraine headaches, tinnitus, cervical spine degenerative disc disease, right ear hearing loss, and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), preclude her from securing or following substantially gainful employment. The Board has granted a TDIU rating based on these service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss was denied because the evidence did not raise a reasonable possibility of substantiating his claim.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim to reopen his service connection for bilateral hearing loss as no new and material evidence was submitted since the last final denial in December 2011.

The Veteran's bilateral sensorineural hearing loss has been rated as noncompensable since February 17, 2010. The VA examiner found that the Veteran’s hearing impairment did not meet the criteria for a compensable rating.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for coronary artery disease and bilateral hearing loss due to inadequate medical opinions regarding service connection. The VA will seek additional exposure information, obtain private treatment records, and schedule appropriate examinations.

The Veteran's death did not result in any pending claims for accrued benefits or substitution purposes, as there were no unadjudicated claims at the time of his death.

The Veteran's claims for hearing loss, allergies, bronchitis, and hypertension have been denied as there is no evidence of these conditions during service or related to service. The claim for hepatitis C has been remanded due to the need for an opinion regarding herbicide exposure. The claim for acquired psychiatric disorder (PTSD and/or depression) has also been remanded for a separate opinion on both PTSD and depression.,The Veteran's claims for hearing loss, allergies, bronchitis, hypertension, and irritable bowel condition have all been denied as there is no evidence of these conditions during service or related to service. The claim for hepatitis C due to herbicide exposure has also been remanded.

The Veteran's service-connected hearing loss and tinnitus, when considered as one body system or of the same etiology, meet the schedular percentage threshold requirements for consideration of a TDIU effective April 29, 2013. The Board grants a Total Disability Rating Based on Individual Unemployability (TDIU) as of that date.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss as there was no evidence of in-service noise exposure or a diagnosis within one year of discharge, and the Veteran's current hearing loss is not related to his military service.

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

The VA has not yet addressed the findings from a December 2017 VA audiology examination and other treatment records in their decision regarding your claim for an increased rating for bilateral hearing loss. Your case is being sent back to the agency for further review.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus have been granted. The claim for left ear hearing loss is remanded.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus. The cases of cervical spine disorder and hearing loss as secondary to a cervical spine disorder are remanded due to insufficient evidence.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is currently rated at 20 percent, and the Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted based on the evidence of record.

The Veteran's hearing loss was rated as noncompensable, and the Board found that his disability did not warrant a higher rating based on the VA examination results. The Veteran had difficulty understanding conversations, especially in noisy environments.