Hearing loss Board decisions

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to insufficient medical opinion regarding the etiology of these conditions.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that there is at least a 50-50 balance of evidence supporting these claims.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including peripheral vestibular disorders (vertigo), bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus, have rendered him unable to obtain or maintain gainful employment. The Board granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings for bilateral hearing loss, rhinitis, and otitis were denied. The Board found no evidence of current disabilities that meet the criteria for a disability rating higher than 0 percent for any condition.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for migraine headaches has been reopened and granted.,Service connection is granted for tinnitus, but not for bilateral hearing loss or PTSD with major depressive disorder.,An effective date prior to September 25, 2007 for service connection of PTSD with major depressive disorder is denied.

The Veteran's appeal for a higher rating for bilateral hearing loss has been dismissed due to his death.

The Board has remanded several issues, including the reopening of a claim for service connection for a neck condition and the increased rating for right shoulder osteoarthritis. Other claims are also being remanded for further development.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, but has remanded the issue of service connection for a back disorder due to insufficient evidence.

The Veteran's tinnitus and left ear hearing loss are granted service connection. Right ear hearing loss is denied as there was no diagnosis of hearing loss in the right ear during the appeal period. The Veteran's right shoulder disability is granted a rating of at least 20 percent from September 28, 2009 to May 23, 2011.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is found to have started during his active service and the Board grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's PTSD and bilateral hearing loss are currently rated at the lowest possible levels, with no higher ratings granted. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating for either condition.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities rendered him incapable of securing or following a substantially gainful occupation prior to November 2, 2016. Therefore, the Board has granted entitlement to Total Disability Retirement based on Unemployability (TDIU) prior to that date.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and a disability rating have been dismissed due to his death.

The Veteran withdrew their appeals for service connection of hearing loss, tinnitus, and PTSD.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral sensorineural hearing loss, finding that there was no evidence of a current disability and insufficient medical opinion to establish a link between in-service noise exposure and the condition.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied as there is no current evidence of a hearing disability under the VA criteria. The Veteran's right ear hearing loss was not shown during service or within one year after separation, and his left ear hearing loss did not meet the VA criteria for a disability.,The Veteran's claim for higher rating for service-connected right shoulder disability prior to April 18, 2017 is remanded as there is no evidence of limitation of motion to shoulder level or midway between the side and shoulder level.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a low back disability, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus. The claim for respiratory condition was not addressed as it is unclear if it was part of the appeal process.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that there was no evidence of in-service noise exposure or a current disability related to service. The VA examiner concluded that the Veteran's hearing loss is not due to his military service.

The Veteran's surviving spouse was granted SMC at the (l) level based on his need for regular aid and attendance due to service-connected disabilities, with all reasonable doubts resolved in favor of the Veteran.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a total disability evaluation based upon individual unemployability (TDIU) due to his service-connected bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that these disabilities do not preclude him from engaging in substantially gainful employment.