Hearing loss Board decisions

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence and will be reconsidered by the Agency of Original Jurisdiction.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus claims are denied as there is no persuasive evidence that these conditions began during service or were caused by service.,Service connection for persistent depressive disorder with anxious distress was granted effective December 30, 2020. The Veteran's claim for a higher rating remains pending.

The Veteran's claims for residuals of a right rib fracture and dermatophytosis (claimed as eczema) have been granted. Claims for hyperlipidemia, elevated liver enzymes, posttraumatic stress disorder, alopecia totalis, iliotibial band syndrome of the left knee, cervical spine disability, voiding dysfunction, benign neoplasm of the skin, right ankle disability, right elbow disability, right hip disability, left hip disability, right shoulder disability, and left shoulder disability have been denied. The Veteran's claims for radiculopathy of the right lower extremity and left lower extremity secondary to service-connected spinal stenosis are remanded.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that the Veteran's hearing loss did not manifest during his active service or to a compensable degree within one year of separation from active service.,The Board also denied service connection for tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's tinnitus did not manifest during his active service or to a compensable degree within one year of separation from active service.

The Veteran's claim for an increased evaluation for service-connected bilateral hearing loss is being remanded due to a lack of VA examination and scheduling procedures not being followed.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him in need of regular aid and attendance due to his PTSD and vestibular condition.,VA has granted the Veteran an effective date prior to September 16, 2022, for the 100 percent rating assigned for PTSD.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss has been denied. The claims for increased ratings of the left ankle, right knee, left knee, and right ligament conditions have been remanded.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is granted as incurred in service due to noise exposure during military service.,The Veteran's right knee disability is granted as incurred and caused by injuries sustained during active service.

The Board denied service connection for right ear hearing loss as there was no current disability meeting VA's definition of a hearing loss condition.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is denied as it was not incurred in service and did not manifest to a compensable degree within one year of separation from service.,The Veteran's tinnitus is granted as it was shown in service and has subsequent manifestations during the appeal period.

The Veteran's claim for PTSD was granted as the evidence is at least in equipoise that it is related to an in-service assault.,The Veteran's claim for bilateral hearing loss was granted as there is continuity of symptoms since service and no other plausible cause.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a low back condition and bilateral flatfoot, as well as his claim for an initial compensable disability rating for his service-connected bilateral hearing loss, are being remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations.,The Board has found that the Veteran is not entitled to a compensable disability rating for his service-connected bilateral hearing loss.

The Board has determined that the AOJ failed to obtain adequate medical opinions for the Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral foot condition, bilateral hearing loss, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), and tinnitus. The VA medical opinions did not address all relevant conditions or provide sufficient explanations.

The Board granted service connection for sinusitis and denied the claims for service connection for left knee disorder, right knee disorder, bilateral hearing loss, initial disability rating in excess of 10 percent for allergic rhinitis, low back disorder, left lower extremity numbness, right lower extremity numbness, left upper extremity numbness, right upper extremity numbness, and tension headaches.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for bilateral hearing loss has been dismissed as he requested the withdrawal of his appeal.

The Veteran's travel to the Albuquerque VAMC on February 28, 2024, was related to his service-connected hearing loss and he received a replacement part for his cochlear implant. The claim was initially denied as untimely filed but the Board found that the appointment had been completed by March 4, 2024, and applied the benefit of the doubt in favor of the Veteran.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus to correct errors in the AOJ's duty to assist under 38 U.S.C. § 5103A.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and initial evaluations for dry eye syndrome due to new evidence. The Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss is not considered service-connected as it did not manifest within one year of separation from service.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss as there was no evidence of a current diagnosis of the condition.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is found to be at least as likely as not related to in-service noise exposure, and service connection for this condition is granted.