Hearing loss Board decisions

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss, erectile dysfunction, hypertension, sinusitis, and bilateral flatfoot due to incomplete military service records.,For the claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and erectile dysfunction, the Veteran's contentions are not supported by the evidence.

The Board has denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus. The claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder is remanded due to a failure to provide a VA examination.

The Board has restored service connection for tinnitus and left ear hearing loss, finding that the character of discharge was not a bar to VA compensation benefits.

The Veteran's service connection claims for hearing loss, left shoulder strain, and tinnitus have been granted. However, the claims for right knee patellofemoral pain syndrome and left knee patellofemoral pain syndrome are being remanded due to inadequate examination findings.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, a skin disorder (onychomycosis of the bilateral feet), respiratory cancer, ischemic heart disease, and colon cancer have been granted due to exposure to herbicide agents during service. The PACT Act is applicable in these cases.,Service connection has been established for respiratory cancer and ischemic heart disease due to herbicide agent exposure.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for right ear hearing loss, finding that it is at least as likely as not that his hearing loss began during his active-duty service or is related to noise exposure during service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim for bilateral hearing loss due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error. The AOJ will consider any additional evidence submitted when the claim is readjudicated.

The Veteran's initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss was denied. The Board found that the Veteran's hearing acuity did not meet the criteria for a higher rating due to his current hearing levels being at Level I in both ears, resulting in a noncompensable rating. For the neck and back disabilities, the Board determined there is insufficient competent medical evidence on file to decide the claims, necessitating further examination and opinion.

The Veteran's left ear hearing loss is not shown to have been manifested by auditory acuity worse than level I, resulting in a noncompensable rating.

The Board has remanded the claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to insufficient medical opinions in the September 2021 VA examination. The AOJ is instructed to obtain new VA medical opinions addressing whether it is at least as likely as not that the Veteran's hearing loss and tinnitus are related to his active service, including in-service noise exposure.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for diabetes mellitus and bilateral hearing loss were denied. The Board found that the Veteran failed to report for VA examinations, which was a necessary step in evaluating his disability.,For TDIU, the Veteran met the criteria as of June 23, 2021, due to service-connected disabilities preventing him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss has been manifested by a numeric designation of Level V in the right ear and Level III in the left ear, resulting in a 10 percent disability rating under Diagnostic Code 6100. The Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted as there is no exceptional pattern of hearing impairment.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, prostate cancer, and bilateral hearing loss, were sufficiently incapacitating as to prevent him from obtaining or maintaining substantially gainful employment for the period prior to May 10, 2020. The Board granted TDIU on an extraschedular basis.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim for service connection for allergic rhinitis due to contradictory findings in the VA examination report.,The October 2021 VA examiner stated that there was not enough evidence to render a diagnosis, but also marked that the Veteran suffers from rhinitis.

The Board has remanded the service connection claims for left ear hearing loss and COPD due to a lack of an adequate VA examination. The Veteran's right ear hearing loss claim is denied as his hearing loss does not meet the criteria for a disability for VA compensation purposes.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for PTSD is dismissed due to the grant of service-connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder. Service connection was denied for bilateral hearing loss, left knee condition, right knee condition, and low back condition. The appeals for migraine headaches and post-concussion syndrome are remanded.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is currently rated as noncompensable, and the Board has denied a compensable rating for this condition.

The Board has denied service connection for a left elbow disability and bilateral hearing loss. The claims of entitlement to service connection for bilateral feet condition, respiratory condition, migraines, and right wrist condition are being remanded for further development.,No specific exposure basis or service connection theory was provided in the decision.

The Veteran is entitled to special monthly compensation (SMC) based on the need for aid and attendance of another person due to his service-connected disabilities.,However, the Veteran does not meet the criteria for SMC by reason of being housebound as he does not have a single disability rated 100% disabling with other service-connected independently ratable at 60%, or be permanently housebound by reason of service-connected disability or disabilities.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for testicular pain, low back disability, left knee disability, right knee disability, left hand tremors, right hand tremors, vision disability, and bilateral hearing loss have all been denied. The evidence does not support a finding that any of these conditions began during or are otherwise related to the Veteran's active service.,The Board found no in-service event, injury, or disease to which the Veteran's claimed low back disability, left knee disability, right knee disability, left hand tremors, right hand tremors, vision disabilities (diabetic retinopathy and cataracts), or bilateral hearing loss may be related. The Veteran's current diagnoses of these conditions are not considered service-connected.