Hearing loss Board decisions

An effective date of June 1, 2015, but no earlier, for the award of special monthly pension based on the need for aid and attendance is granted.,The claim of service connection for tinnitus is remanded due to a duty to assist error.

The Veteran's claims for eligibility for assistance in acquiring specially adapted housing (SAH) and a special home adaptation grant were remanded due to the AOJ overlooking favorable legal determinations that greatly expanded his service-connected disability picture.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection for left ear hearing loss and an initial compensable rating for right ear hearing loss have been dismissed due to the withdrawal of his representative.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claimed disabilities, including bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, ankle and knee disabilities, low back disability, anxiety/depression, insomnia, sleep apnea, and headaches, did not begin during or are otherwise related to service. As such, these claims for service connection have been denied.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss has been denied a compensable rating. The claims for service connection of right and left knee disabilities are remanded due to the need for further examination.

The Veteran's left ear hearing loss does not meet the criteria for a disability for VA purposes, and therefore service connection is denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's tinnitus, hearing loss, right foot condition, and right toe condition are related to service. However, due to a lack of VA examination for his unspecified anxiety disorder prior to the initial increased rating claim, the case is remanded for further evaluation.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including bilateral hearing loss and an acquired psychiatric condition, have prevented him from obtaining or maintaining a substantially gainful occupation since November 17, 2011. The Board has granted TDIU for this period.

The Board has dismissed the appeal for service connection for tinnitus due to untimely filing of a VA Form 10182. The claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied as there is no evidence showing current hearing loss or that it is related to service.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection have been denied. The Veteran is currently rated at 60% for chronic kidney disease/diabetic nephropathy with hypertension, 20% for diabetes mellitus, type II, and 10% each for tinnitus, bilateral hearing loss, peripheral neuropathy of the upper extremities, and radiculopathy of the lower extremities.

The Veteran's claims for PTSD, bilateral hearing loss, and bone fractures were denied as there was no evidence of a current disability or service connection.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied because he does not have a current diagnosis of hearing loss as defined by VA regulations.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus is denied because the evidence does not support a finding that his tinnitus began in service or is related to noise exposure during military service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss was denied because the evidence did not show a current disability of hearing loss.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus was denied because there is no evidence that his claimed condition had its onset during active service or within one year of separation.

The appeal concerning the service connection claims for mental disorder (PTSD), headache disorder, and left ear hearing loss is dismissed due to the Veteran's death.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates are inextricably intertwined with other issues on appeal and must be remanded. The AOJ is instructed to obtain a medical opinion regarding when the Veteran's service-connected disorders first manifested, readjudicate the 1981 claim, and readjudicate all of the herein issues on appeal.

The Board has denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, foot disability (to include foot pain and gout), and tinnitus as there is no current evidence of these conditions or a relationship to service.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's conditions are causally related to his in-service noise exposure.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss, finding that these conditions are related to the Veteran's active-duty service.

The Board has remanded the case due to a need for a VA examination to determine if the Veteran has an acquired psychiatric disorder attributable to his bilateral hearing loss.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is related to his military service, specifically his exposure to hazardous noise during combat. As a result, the claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is granted.