Hearing loss Board decisions

The Board has remanded the claims for bilateral hearing loss, left ear hearing loss, congestive heart failure, atrial fibrillation, substance abuse, and an acquired mental disorder (including depression and/or anxiety) due to insufficient explanation of the VA examiner's opinion regarding a significant threshold shift in the Veteran’s hearing acuity during service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim of service connection for aggravation of his preexisting left ear hearing loss disability, finding no evidence that it was permanently aggravated during service.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is found to have begun during service and is related to noise exposure. Service connection for this condition is granted.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings of major depressive disorder and bilateral hearing loss, as well as his claim for TDIU, are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for bilateral pes planus and bilateral hearing loss due to inadequate examinations. The Veteran's statements regarding in-service foot pain and hearing impairment need to be considered, as well as his wife's testimony.

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

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus and assigned a 10% rating, finding that the Veteran's tinnitus is now of such frequency to be considered 'recurrent' following his most recent period of active duty. Service connection for bilateral hearing loss was denied as there is no current disability.

The Board denied an initial rating higher than 20 percent for neurological residuals of a right shoulder fragment wound from March 30, 2011, to March 31, 2013.,A separate 10 percent rating was granted for a Muscle Group IV injury associated with the right shoulder fragment wound from April 1, 2013. The Veteran's claim for higher ratings for neurological residuals and bilateral hearing loss were denied.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's service connection for bilateral hearing loss, including a lack of verification of his National Guard service and an inadequate VA examination.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for cervical spine disability, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus due to insufficient evidence in the record. The VA is required to provide a medical examination and opinion that addresses all raised theories of entitlement, including secondary service connection.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss is related to his military service and grants entitlement to service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are granted as service connected due to in-service acoustic trauma.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss disability needs to be re-evaluated due to an increase in severity since the last examination. The Board has ordered a new examination to determine the current degree of impairment.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for atopic dermatitis, bilateral hearing loss, and stomach disorder due to new evidence or lack of VA treatment records. The Veteran needs to provide updated medical records and undergo examinations.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding whether the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is related to service, specifically his exposure to noise during active duty.

The Board has decided to remand the claims for hearing loss, tinnitus, increased rating for anxiety, and earlier effective dates due to incomplete VA treatment records. The Veteran's case will be returned for further development.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for a new VA examination to assess the current severity of his bilateral hearing loss and determine if vertigo and headaches are related to service-connected bilateral hearing loss.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that it is related to in-service combat-related acoustic trauma.

The Veteran's right ear hearing loss is currently rated as noncompensable, with no evidence of worsening since the last examination in August 2009.,Prior to January 9, 2017, the Veteran's cervical spine scar and left hip scar were each rated as noncompensable. After January 9, 2017, both scars are rated as 10 percent disabling due to their painful nature.,The Veteran's left knee disability was initially granted a 10 percent rating from September 1, 2009 through February 2, 2010. After this period, the Veteran is not entitled to an increased rating beyond 10 percent.,No new evidence of service connection or exposure basis was provided in this decision.

The Board has granted service connection for left ear hearing loss but denied service connection for right ear hearing loss. The decision is based on the Veteran's in-service noise exposure and his current complaints of hearing loss.