Hearing loss Board decisions

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been granted. The Board has remanded the cases of IVDS, BLE radiculopathy, cervical spine mass, BUE radiculopathy, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus.

The Veteran's claim for bilateral hearing loss was denied as there is no evidence of a current disability or service connection prior to September 1, 2024.,Service connection for bladder cancer and diabetes were also denied due to lack of current diagnosis.

The Board has granted an earlier effective date of July 26, 2017 for the award of TDIU due to service-connected psychiatric disability and an earlier effective date of November 9, 2018 for the award of SMC under 38 U.S.C. § 1114(s).

The appeal concerning entitlement to service connection for right ear hearing loss is dismissed as the Veteran's claim has already been granted.,The appeal concerning entitlement to service connection for left ankle sprain is dismissed as the Veteran was awarded service connection based on a non-liberalizing law and the issue of an effective date is not on appeal.

The Board has found the May 2020 rating decision that addressed entitlement to service connection for PTSD/depression, ichthyosis, hearing loss, left and right ankle conditions, and a right foot condition to be the one on appeal. The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss claim is denied as there is no evidence of chronic sensorineural hearing loss within the presumptive period or continuity of symptomatology. The acquired psychiatric disorder claim requires an examination for service connection due to incomplete medical history provided by the VA examiner. The ichthyosis claim requires a corrected opinion based on accurate STRs showing groin rash treatment in service.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a duty to assist error, specifically regarding the etiology of the Veteran's cause of death. The claim will be reconsidered with an addendum medical opinion.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for migraines, right ear hearing loss, and depression and anxiety with intermittent explosive disorder (depression and anxiety) have been denied. The Board found that the evidence did not meet the criteria for a compensable rating for migraines or establish current disability for right ear hearing loss.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and pseudofolliculitis barbae, finding no current disability or evidence of a continuity of symptoms since service.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection have been denied. The rating in excess of 10 percent for tinnitus is denied, as the evidence does not support a higher rating under the applicable criteria. The claim for a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss is also denied due to lack of evidence supporting a higher rating based on audiometric results. Service connection for hypertension and bilateral foot fungus are granted with effective dates from May 19, 2020, to August 9, 2022, respectively. The Veteran's claims for service connection regarding left knee pain (status post arthroscopy), right knee pain (status post arthroscopy), low back disability (degenerative arthritis of the spine), left shoulder pain, and right shoulder pain are all granted with effective dates from August 10, 2022. The Veteran's claims for service connection regarding left leg shooting pain and radiculopathy secondary to low back disability and right leg shooting pain and radiculopathy secondary to low back disability remain pending.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and right knee condition are granted service connection, but the acquired psychiatric disorder claim is remanded for further development.

The Veteran's left ear hearing loss disability is related to hazardous noise exposure in service, while his right ear hearing loss disability was not aggravated during service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unemployable, and his TDIU claim is denied.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss as there was no evidence of a current disability meeting VA criteria.

The Veteran's service-connected conditions rendered him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation, leading to the grant of TDIU effective May 25, 2019.

The Board has dismissed the appeals for higher ratings of tinnitus, bilateral hearing loss, and right shoulder disability. The Veteran's diabetes mellitus Type II is granted as secondary to his service-connected musculoskeletal disabilities.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, but remanded the claim for bilateral hearing loss due to insufficient evidence in the VA examination.

The Board has remanded the case due to procedural errors and the need for additional evidence. The Veteran's claims of entitlement to an initial compensable evaluation for service-connected bilateral hearing loss, an effective date earlier than December 27, 2023, for the award of service connection for service-connected right shoulder disabilities, and a higher initial evaluation for service-connected right shoulder disabilities are now pending.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, right tibia condition, left tibia condition, and a compensable rating for traumatic brain injury. The evidence did not support the presence of these conditions during the period on appeal.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's claim for a compensable evaluation for bilateral hearing loss must be remanded due to a duty to assist error. The issue of service connection for dizziness related to his hearing loss is also being remanded.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection of bilateral hearing loss, neck strain, and hypertension need further development due to a duty-to-assist error.