Hearing loss Board decisions

The Veteran's claims for a compensable evaluation for bilateral hearing loss and an evaluation higher than 10 percent for tinnitus have been denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support granting either claim.

The Board has decided to remand the cases for additional development due to incomplete service treatment records and unclear medical opinions. The appellant's hearing loss and tinnitus are being reviewed again with a focus on obtaining his complete service records and providing an updated medical opinion.

The Veteran's service connection claims for coronary artery disease, hypertension (pursuant to the PACT Act), emphysema with endobronchial valve in left lung, allergic rhinitis, sinusitis, bilateral hearing loss, right shoulder condition with degenerative arthritis, a left shoulder condition with degenerative arthritis, lumbosacral disability (lumbosacral strain with degenerative disc disease), and a left knee condition are granted.,The Veteran's service connection claims for emphysema with endobronchial valve in left lung, allergic rhinitis, sinusitis, bilateral hearing loss, right shoulder condition with degenerative arthritis, a left shoulder condition with degenerative arthritis, lumbosacral disability (lumbosacral strain with degenerative disc disease), and a left knee condition are remanded.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus should be remanded due to a duty to assist error. The VA medical opinions provided were deemed inadequate, and new addendum opinions are needed.

The Board dismissed the Veteran's appeal regarding a compensable rating for right ear hearing loss. The Board granted service connection for left knee, right knee, left ankle, and right ankle disabilities.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is denied as his service-connected tinnitus alone does not render him unemployable, and the other conditions do not impact his employability.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for right ear hearing loss as there is no current disability of right ear hearing loss for VA purposes.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a history of falling and abnormality of gait were denied as there was no evidence showing these conditions are related to his military service.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss was denied because he did not have a current disability that meets the VA criteria for hearing loss.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a lung condition, skin cancer, and right ear hearing loss were denied. The denial of the lung condition claim is based on lack of current diagnosis. The appeal regarding skin cancer was dismissed as it was not readjudicated before the AOJ received the NOD. The right ear hearing loss claim was granted.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that the Veteran's current hearing loss is not related to his military service.,The Board also denied service connection for tinnitus, concluding that it is not linked to his military service.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus but has remanded the issue of service connection for bilateral hearing loss due to insufficient medical opinion.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss has been rated as noncompensable, with a Maryland CNC speech recognition score of 94% in both ears and average pure tone thresholds below the threshold for compensable ratings.

The Veteran's hearing loss of the right ear is granted as service-connected.,Service connection for tinnitus is granted, with consideration given to continuity of symptomatology since service.,Gout of bilateral ankles and feet is granted as service-connected, with consideration given to continuity of symptoms since service.

The Veteran's service connection claim for tinnitus is granted. The Board finds that the Veteran has a history of noise exposure during service and current complaints of tinnitus, resolving all reasonable doubt in his favor. For the hearing loss claim, the Board finds the VA examination inadequate due to lack of continuity of symptomatology and remands the case for further evaluation.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus but denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss. The Veteran's tinnitus is related to in-service noise exposure, while his hearing loss does not meet the VA criteria for a disability.

The Board has dismissed the appeal for service connection of bilateral hearing loss as there is no case or controversy with regard to this issue.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate opinion regarding whether the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is related to his active service, specifically noise exposure associated with his duties in water treatment.

The Veteran's tinnitus is granted service connection. The claims for persistent depressive disorder with anxious distress, PTSD, bilateral hearing loss, left ankle condition, and hypertension are remanded.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to an inadequate rationale in a previous VA opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's right ear hearing loss. The Veteran is asked to undergo another VA examination and provide an opinion on whether his hearing loss is related to service or within one year post-service.

The Veteran's claim for Total Disability Rating Based on Individual Unemployability (TDIU) was denied because the effective date cannot be earlier than March 12, 2021. The TDIU award is based on the schedular requirements and not due to a new disability or change in existing disabilities.