Hearing loss Board decisions

The veteran's claims for increased ratings for several conditions were mixed. Some were granted, some denied, and one was remanded.

The veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for tinnitus was denied. Service connection for bilateral hearing loss was also denied. Claims for hypertension, migraine headaches, and lower back disability were remanded.

The Board denied service connection for both bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding no evidence linking these conditions to the veteran's military service.

The Board remanded the veteran's claims for service connection of hearing loss, tinnitus, psychiatric disorder, back disorder, nose disorder, and sinus disorder due to inadequate VA examinations.

The appeal for a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss has been remanded. The Board needs to correct a duty-to-assist error and schedule another VA examination.

Service connection for tinnitus is granted. Service connection for hearing loss and a left foot condition is denied. The claim for a right foot condition is remanded.

The veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus was granted. Claims for bilateral foot disability, left knee disability, and right knee disability were denied. Claims for bilateral hearing loss disability, left wrist disability, right wrist disability, and sleep apnea were remanded.

The Board remanded the veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings due to new and relevant evidence. The veteran will receive a hearing notice, new medical examinations, and readjudication of their conditions.

The Veteran's BPPV with bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus is currently rated at 60 percent, but the Board finds that it does not meet the criteria for a higher rating as there are no attacks of vertigo or cerebellar gait occurring more than once weekly.

The Board denied service connection for left ear hearing loss, right ear hearing loss, and tinnitus as the evidence did not show that these conditions were incurred in or aggravated by military service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development and due process considerations, including obtaining medical records and scheduling VA examinations. The claims are being returned to the AOJ for further action.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a TDIU due to one service-connected disability, finding that he was not rendered unemployable based on only one of his service-connected disabilities. The decision is binding only with respect to this specific matter and does not establish VA policies or interpretations of general applicability.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for left ear hearing loss was denied, and the appeal of service connection for depression with anxiety was dismissed due to the grants of major depressive disorder and PTSD.

The Veteran withdrew all issues on appeal, including those related to lumbar spine strain, cervical spine strain, left foot strain, right foot strain, migraines, hearing loss, anxiety condition, tinnitus, and gastroesophageal reflux disorder (GERD).

The appeal for the issue of entitlement to a compensable evaluation for bilateral hearing loss is dismissed. The Veteran's tinnitus is related to his military service and has been granted.

The Veteran's hearing loss is rated at 0 percent (noncompensable) due to the severity of his hearing impairment.,The Veteran's tinnitus is rated at 10 percent, which is the maximum schedular rating available. The Veteran seeks a higher rating but cannot meet the criteria for an increased rating under VA regulations.,The Veteran was granted a 50 percent rating for PTSD on December 22, 2020, and the effective date of this grant is set to December 22, 2020. The Veteran argues that he should have received this higher rating earlier.

The Board has identified errors in the decision and remands the case for a new medical opinion to address the onset and etiology of the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss.

The Board has remanded the case due to a pre-decisional error in the duty to assist, requiring an addendum medical opinion regarding the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to in-service noise exposure. The VA will provide an opinion regarding the etiology of these conditions, including whether they are related to service.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral pes planus with plantar fasciitis is the primary factor in his inability to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation. Other conditions, such as left knee strain, right lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, lumbosacral strain, right foot hallux valgus, and left foot hallux valgus, also contribute but do not significantly impact his employability.