Hearing loss Board decisions

The Board has decided to remand the case due to incomplete service treatment records and an apparent inconsistency in a VA medical opinion. The Veteran's hearing loss is being reviewed for its relationship to service, specifically noise exposure.

The Board has granted an earlier effective date of June 25, 2021 for the award of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus. The Veteran's claims were continuously pursued until they were finally granted.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's conditions had their onset during his active duty service.

The Veteran's initial, compensable rating for service-connected bilateral hearing loss was denied. Service connection for a respiratory disability due to in-service herbicide exposure (Agent Orange) was granted. The claims of entitlement to an initial, compensable rating for service-connected hypertension and service connection for obstructive sleep apnea were remanded.

The Veteran's appeals for GERD, migraines, and hearing loss have been dismissed due to the death of the appellant. The Board has no jurisdiction to adjudicate these claims as they are now closed.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the evidence is at least in equipoise as to whether these conditions are related to hazardous noise exposure during service.

The Board has determined that the VA opinion provided in October 2022 was inadequate and requires further development to determine if the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is related to his active service.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss, and a request for additional records is made. The Veteran will need to provide VA Form 21-4142 for Denton Hearing Health Center and any other relevant providers.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for hypertension, gastroenteritis, recurrent ulcers and chronic intermittent pyloric stenosis (claimed as pyloric stenosis/chronic ulcers), and bilateral hearing loss due to insufficient medical opinions.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings for various conditions have been denied. The Board found that the evidence did not meet the criteria for compensable ratings or service connection.

The Veteran's right ear hearing loss is rated as noncompensable, and the claim for an initial compensable rating is denied.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss, otosclerosis, and migraines were not found to be service-connected.,The Board denied the claims for bilateral hearing loss, otosclerosis, and migraines due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current bilateral hearing loss disability for VA compensation purposes. The claims for low back, left and right hip, as well as left and right ankle disabilities are remanded due to insufficient medical nexus opinions regarding their relationship to service-connected conditions. The claim for right lower extremity nerve condition (claimed as pain, numbness, and tingling) is also remanded.

The Board has remanded the cases of tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss due to a lack of medical opinion linking these conditions to service. The VA is instructed to schedule the appellant for an examination to determine if any diagnosed hearing loss or tinnitus had causal origins in service.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that there is no evidence of a current disability meeting VA criteria and insufficient noise exposure to establish service connection.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus but has remanded the claim of bilateral hearing loss due to a lack of audiometric test results.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability and tinnitus due to a pre-decisional error in the duty to assist. The Veteran's claims are being readjudicated.

The Board has found that the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is incomplete due to missing medical records and audiometry reports. The AOJ will need to obtain these documents from the VistA system and add them to the claims file.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus.

The Veteran's tinnitus is granted service connection. The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss claim is remanded due to inadequate rationale in the VA examination.