Hearing loss Board decisions

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for right ear hearing loss, left ear hearing loss, tinnitus, bilateral hip disorders, and bilateral knee disorders due to a lack of current diagnoses. The claims are remanded for further development.

The Board has denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, arthritis (multiple joints, to include shoulders), and lumbosacral strain due to a lack of evidence showing the presence of these conditions during or within one year after service. The Veteran's claim for lumbosacral strain is remanded as there are outstanding private treatment records that have not been associated with his claims file.,The Board has denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, arthritis (multiple joints, to include shoulders), and lumbosacral strain due to a lack of evidence showing the presence of these conditions during or within one year after service. The Veteran's claim for lumbosacral strain is remanded as there are outstanding private treatment records that have not been associated with his claims file.

The Board has denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and remanded the claim of service connection for tinnitus due to a lack of medical evidence linking current symptoms to in-service noise exposure.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss has been remanded due to the submission of new and relevant evidence.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder (claimed as PTSD) has also been remanded due to the submission of new and relevant evidence.

The Board has remanded two issues: a compensable rating for left ear hearing loss and service connection for a back disability secondary to service-connected shoulder disabilities. The Veteran needs to undergo new examinations to determine the current severity of his left ear hearing loss and the etiology of his back disability.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that both conditions are related to the Veteran's in-service noise exposure as a special forces soldier.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a duty to assist error, specifically regarding the lack of audiometric data and an inadequate medical opinion. The Veteran's hearing loss is being reviewed again for possible service connection.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss was denied as there is no medical evidence showing a nexus between the condition and her military service.,Service connection for chronic sinusitis was also denied due to lack of current diagnosis. The Veteran did not have symptoms that meet the criteria for chronic sinusitis.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for right ear hearing loss and an initial compensable rating for left ear hearing loss due to inadequate medical opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's right ear hearing loss.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including depressive disorder, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and benign paroxysmal position vertigo, rendered him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation. The Board granted the TDIU claim.

The Veteran's right ear hearing loss is rated at 0 percent, effective March 13, 2018. The Board has denied a compensable rating for this condition.,The Veteran's bilateral eye condition was remanded due to the need for an addendum VA medical opinion.

The Veteran's initial claim for a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss was denied, and his increased rating from January 10, 2023, is also denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support higher ratings at any time during the relevant period.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not preclude him from securing and following substantially gainful employment before January 6, 2017.

The Board has remanded the claims for increased ratings for bilateral hearing loss and TDIU due to inadequate discussion of extraschedular considerations and potential inappropriateness of current rating criteria.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension, a disability rating for diabetes mellitus, type II, and a compensable disability rating for left ear sensorineural hearing loss due to incomplete information and need for additional evidence.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for special monthly compensation (SMC) based on aid and attendance or housebound status, as he does not require personal assistance from others and is not substantially confined to his dwelling.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied because there is no current disability of bilateral hearing loss for VA compensation purposes.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left ear hearing loss did not meet the criteria for a compensable rating during the appeal period, as his hearing acuity was at Level I in both ears.

The Board has remanded the claims for bilateral hearing loss due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error and another issue regarding the Veteran's service connection claim. The VA examiner will provide an opinion on whether the Veteran's right ear hearing loss had its clinical onset during service or is due to an event or incident of his period of active service, and whether it is clear and unmistakable that the Veteran's left ear hearing loss pre-existing disability was NOT aggravated (i.e., permanently worsened beyond the natural course of the disease) during service.

The Board has granted effective dates of September 8, 2016 for the awards of service connection and increased ratings for right ear hearing loss, tension headaches, and acquired psychiatric disability. The rating for the acquired psychiatric disability is set at 70 percent.