Hearing loss Board decisions

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for left and right ear hearing loss, generalized anxiety disorder, and a rating in excess of 50 percent for her depressive disorder. The claims are remanded for further development.

The Veteran's claim for special monthly compensation based on the need for regular aid and attendance due to service-connected disabilities has been granted. The Board found that the Veteran requires assistance with eating, dressing, hygiene needs, medication management, housekeeping, meal preparation, and laundry.

The Veteran's appeal challenging the reduction of his bilateral hearing loss rating from 50% to 10% has been denied. The AOJ proposed reducing his disability rating, but this decision is now denied.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, hypertension, a back condition, and both lower extremity neuropathy conditions due to the lack of evidence showing these conditions had their onset during active duty for training (ACDUTRA).

The Board has granted a 10% disability rating for the Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss, finding that the evidence is in approximate balance and supports this decision.

The Veteran's right ear hearing loss disability is rated as noncompensable (zero percent) throughout the rating period, with no evidence of worsening or new symptoms that would warrant a higher rating.

The Veteran's tinnitus is rated at the maximum schedular disability rating of 10 percent.,The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability is currently rated as noncompensable (zero percent).,The Veteran's lumbar spine disability is currently rated at 20 percent, and the evidence does not support a higher rating due to lack of ankylosis or other criteria for increased ratings under the General Rating Formula for Diseases and Injuries of the Spine.,The Veteran's right lower extremity radiculopathy is not manifested by moderate incomplete paralysis.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection are being remanded due to the failure to attend scheduled VA examinations. Rescheduled VA examinations will be conducted to determine the current severity of his service-connected conditions and the nature and etiology of his claimed conditions.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that these conditions are causally related to his exposure to acoustic trauma during active duty.

The Board has granted earlier effective dates of September 25, 2019 for service connection for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus due to the Veteran's showing good cause for his delay in completing his original claim.

The Board has restored the Veteran's 50% disability rating for bilateral hearing loss, finding that the reduction from 40% to 50% was improper and void ab initio.

The Board has granted effective dates of August 10, 2022 for hypertension and July 25, 2023 for diabetes mellitus, type II, bilateral lower extremity diabetic peripheral neuropathy, a bilateral hearing loss disability, and tinnitus.,The Veteran's conditions were found to have manifested no later than the dates specified in their respective effective dates.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral sensorineural hearing loss, lumbar disc disease with herniation, right knee osteoarthritis, and a left knee condition (manifested by pain with functional loss that can affect earning capacity), all of which are found to be at least as likely as not caused by the Veteran's in-service exposure to hazardous noise and service duties.

The Board dismissed the Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD and denied his claim for service connection for a lower back disability. The Veteran's claim for migraine headaches was granted, but not before being remanded to consider an issue of obstructive sleep apnea.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is not found to be worse than Level I, which corresponds to a noncompensable evaluation.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection for various conditions have been dismissed as untimely.,Service connection for PTSD has not been established.

Service connection for bilateral hearing loss is granted. An initial rating in excess of 10 percent for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is denied.

The Veteran's appeal for an initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss is denied, and the appeal for service connection for GERD is remanded.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that the Veteran's current disability meets the requirements of VA regulations and that the in-service acoustic trauma caused his current condition.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, deviated septum, and obstructive sleep apnea have been denied. The Veteran has had his service-connected hypothyroidism granted with an effective date of February 13, 2023. His liver disability and eczema claims are remanded.