Hearing loss Board decisions

The Board has determined that the submitted evidence does not provide new and relevant information to support readjudication of the claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, a groin disability, a right ankle disability, and bilateral plantar fasciitis.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is remanded due to a duty to assist error regarding his service-connected left foot disability prior to November 1, 2016. A VA examination is needed to assess the impact of these disabilities on his occupational activities and functioning.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for left ankle and left shoulder conditions due to a lack of current diagnoses. The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss claim is remanded as there was an inadequate pre-decisional medical opinion based on in-service audiograms only.,The Veteran's chronic renal insufficiency claim is remanded as the PACT Act requires additional procedural rights, including review of the Individual Longitudinal Exposure Record (ILER) and toxic exposure examination.

The Board has found that the Veteran does not have a hearing loss disability within the meaning of VA regulations. The claims for increased evaluations of his left and right knee disabilities are remanded due to inadequate examination.

The Veteran's claims for a compensable disability rating for left ear hearing loss and a disability rating in excess of 10 percent for tinnitus have been denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support higher ratings based on the current level of service-connected disabilities.

The Board has decided to remand the claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to a lack of an in-service threshold shift as evidence to indicate that the Veteran's current hearing loss is not related to military noise exposure. The issues are inextricably intertwined, so both must be remanded.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied as she does not have a current diagnosis of bilateral hearing loss for VA purposes.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding no current disability in either ear for VA compensation purposes.,The Veteran's claim for PTSD with opioid use disorder was granted effective July 20, 2021. The Board found that the earlier submitted intent to file a claim within one year of separation from service should not result in an earlier effective date.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral eye disability, sleep apnea, GERD, and bilateral hearing loss disability due to a lack of current disabilities as required by the first element of service connection.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is related to in-service noise exposure and service connection for this condition has been granted.

The Veteran's service-connected cervical spine disability is found to have aggravated his right lower extremity weakness, which has been granted as a separate condition.

The VA denied the appellant's claim for an initial, compensable disability rating for bilateral hearing loss as her audiological tests during the appeal period corresponded to no greater than a level I hearing loss in both ears.

The Veteran's tinnitus was granted service connection as it began during active service. However, the Veteran does not have a current disability of bilateral hearing loss and therefore his claim for this condition is denied.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for bilateral hearing loss was denied as it did not meet the criteria for an effective date prior to November 21, 2022.,Service connection for hypothyroidism and emphysema were granted with an effective date of November 21, 2022. Service connection for arteriosclerotic heart disease was granted with a rating of 60 percent but no higher, also with an effective date of June 13, 2023.

The Board has denied service connection for various conditions, including dyslipidemia, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, erectile dysfunction (ED), chronic sinusitis, allergic rhinitis, cervical spine disability, lumbar spine disability, right shoulder and left shoulder disabilities, right hip and left hip disabilities, bilateral foot disabilities, right ankle and left ankle disabilities, right knee and left knee disabilities, and bilateral plantar fasciitis. The decision is based on the absence of evidence linking these conditions to service.

The Board has dismissed all claims due to the Veteran's withdrawal of the appeal prior to a decision being made.

The Veteran was granted a TDIU effective January 21, 2020. The Board denied an earlier effective date.,The Veteran was granted eligibility for DEA benefits effective January 21, 2020. The Board denied an earlier effective date.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that his current hearing loss is likely due to in-service noise exposure and granting the benefit of the doubt.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for left ear hearing loss is denied as the evidence does not support a finding of current disability.,The Veteran's claims for an increased evaluation for his left wrist condition and for service connection for sinusitis are dismissed because he did not properly file a notice of disagreement on these issues.

The Veteran's left ear hearing loss disability was found to be at level I throughout the appeal period, resulting in a noncompensable rating. The Board denied entitlement to a compensable rating for this condition.