Hearing loss Board decisions

The Veteran's claims for service connection for hearing loss, tinnitus, lumbosacral strain, and flat foot are remanded due to inadequate VA examinations. The Board finds the provided examinations insufficient to determine if these conditions are related to service.

The Veteran's service-connected sarcoidosis is granted on a presumptive basis under the PACT Act. The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and keratoconus are denied for increased ratings.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss, left ear otitis media, chronic pharyngitis, and a spine disability due to inadequate VA examinations that did not consider the appellant's lay statements.

The Veteran's claims for effective dates prior to March 17, 2021, for service connection were denied as the complete claim was not filed within one year of his intent to file a claim.,VA awarded SMC and DEA benefits based on service-connected disabilities starting from March 17, 2021.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and hypertension based on presumptive theories prior to August 10, 2022. The reasons include a failure to address lay evidence of worsening post-service and an omission of private medical records related to hypertension.

The Veteran was granted service connection for tinnitus, but denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss.,For tinnitus, the Board found that there is at least an even balance of evidence regarding whether it had its onset in service. As a result, the claim for tinnitus has been granted.

The Veteran's hearing loss is rated as Level I in both ears, resulting in a noncompensable rating. The Board has determined that the evidence does not warrant any higher rating.

The Veteran's appeal of the issues related to his competency to manage VA benefits, service connection for rhinitis, and rating for right ear hearing loss has been dismissed.,No justiciable case or controversy is before the Board regarding these issues.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable evaluation for service-connected bilateral hearing loss disability was denied as his hearing acuity did not meet the criteria for a higher rating.

The Board has remanded the case due to pre-decisional duty-to-assist errors, including a failure to provide an examination and opinion addressing the effects of the Veteran's exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune on his left-ear hearing loss. The Veteran is requested to undergo a VA examination for this purpose.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is currently rated as noncompensable, with the most probative evidence not persuasively supporting a higher rating.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for financial assistance in purchasing an automobile or adaptive equipment, as he does not have a loss of use of his feet, hands, vision impairment, burn injury, ALS, or ankylosis of knees or hips.

The Board has found that there is a duty-to-assist error in the decision on appeal and has ordered additional development to obtain missing service treatment and personnel records, including verifying periods of active duty training (ACDUTRA) and inactive duty training (INACDUTRA), and obtaining an addendum VA opinion.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including depression is granted. The claims for left ear hearing loss and right foot disorder are denied.

The Board has decided that the Veteran does not have a current left ear hearing loss disability for VA purposes and denied service connection for this condition. The GERD issue is remanded due to inadequate examination, and the TDIU issue is also remanded as it is inextricably intertwined with the GERD evaluation.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for tinnitus, bilateral hearing loss, and hypertension have been denied as the evidence does not meet the criteria for a higher rating under VA regulations.

The Board has remanded the claim of service connection for a bilateral hearing loss disability due to duty-to-assist errors and inadequate medical opinion.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that there is no evidence of a current disability meeting VA criteria or a link to service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an initial compensable evaluation for bilateral hearing loss and remanded claims for service connection for left knee, right knee, and back disabilities.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, right foot condition, left foot condition, right-hand condition (nerve damage, tendonitis, neuropathy), hypertension, and erectile dysfunction for additional development of evidence.