Hearing loss Board decisions

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for bilateral hearing loss is denied as his current disability level does not warrant a compensable rating.,The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for bilateral hearing loss is denied as the earliest available effective date is February 15, 2023.,The Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD and other acquired psychiatric disorders are denied as there is no persuasive evidence of a current diagnosis or causal relationship to his military service.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to an inadequate examination, and a new opinion is needed regarding the etiology of the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that there is no evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

Your service connection claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus have already been granted in a separate decision. This appeal is dismissed as there are no longer pending issues.

The Veteran's left ear hearing loss is granted as service connection due to noise exposure during service.,Service connection for right ear hearing loss and tinnitus are denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is related to his active service, as evidenced by his exposure to hazardous noise during his military duties and his statements regarding the onset of hearing loss in service. As a result, service connection for bilateral hearing loss is granted.

The Board has granted service connection for left ear hearing loss and tinnitus, but denied service connection for right ear hearing loss. The appeal for service connection of a bilateral shoulder disability is dismissed.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are service-connected, as there is at least a 50% probability that these conditions were incurred during his military service.

The claim for an initial increased disability rating in excess of 70 percent for PTSD is denied.,The claim for an initial increased disability rating in excess of 10 percent for hearing loss is denied.,The claim for an initial increased disability rating in excess of 10 percent for tinnitus is denied.,The claim for an initial compensable disability rating for allergic rhinitis is denied.,The claim for service connection for TBI is denied.,The claim for service connection for a bilateral foot disability, to include flat foot pain, is denied.,The claim for service connection for a right ankle lateral collateral ligament sprain is granted.,The claim for service connection for xerosis cutis is granted.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is caused by his service and grants the claim for service connection.

The Board granted service connection for various conditions, including lumbar spine disability and bilateral knee condition. The Veteran's obesity was not found to be a compensable disability. Service connection was denied for jaw condition, skin condition (claimed as athletes' foot), bilateral hearing loss, ED secondary to PTSD, TBI, migraine headaches, residual scar of the head/scalp, scar of the lower back, and right shoulder and right foot scars.

The Board has remanded the case for further evaluation due to insufficient evidence, particularly regarding the Veteran's respiratory disability and exposure history.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, an eye condition, major depressive disorder (MDD), and left knee patellofemoral pain syndrome. The evidence did not meet the criteria for establishing these conditions as incurred in or aggravated by service.

The Veteran's appeal centers on his request for an earlier effective date for the additional dependency compensation he receives for his spouse, children, and stepchildren. These benefits are available to all Veterans with qualifying dependents who are in possession of at least a 30 percent combined disability rating.,The Board denied the Veteran's claims as there was no good cause presented to extend the one-year requirement to submit the additional dependency compensation claim.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a neck condition, pes planus of the right foot, and back condition. The appeal is remanded for further development regarding these issues.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for heart condition was also remanded due to duty-to-assist errors.

The Veteran's claim for bilateral hearing loss is denied as he does not have a disability as defined by VA.,The Veteran's claim for lower back disability is denied due to the lack of a current diagnosis.,The Veteran's claim for tinnitus is remanded and requires an addendum opinion from an appropriate clinician.

The Veteran's claim for an initial compensable rating for service-connected right ear hearing loss is remanded due to a duty-to-assist error. Clarification is needed regarding the results of October 2020, January 2021, and June 2021 audiology examinations.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability is productive of hearing acuity no worse than Level II in the right ear and Level II in the left ear, resulting in a noncompensable rating.,The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for breast cancer, bilateral mastectomy, RLS, and vertigo due to pre-decisional duty-to-assist errors.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that new evidence supports a link to in-service noise exposure. The conditions are considered direct service connections.

The Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss and right heel condition have been denied as there is no evidence of current disabilities. The Board finds that the Veteran does not meet the criteria for service connection in these cases.,For his extra-skeletal osteosarcoma, diabetes mellitus type II, obstructive sleep apnea, and insomnia claims, the Board has determined that VA examinations are needed to determine if there is a relationship between the conditions and the Veteran's active duty service.