Hearing loss Board decisions

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the evidence is at least evenly balanced as to whether these conditions are related to in-service acoustic trauma.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including patellofemoral pain syndrome, posttraumatic stress disorder, tinnitus, Bell's palsy residuals, abdominal pain and diarrhea, right ankle disability, bilateral hearing loss, folliculitis, temporomandibular joint disease, hyposmia associated with Bell's palsy residuals, loss of taste associated with Bell's palsy residuals, and scar, right lower extremity, have rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment throughout the appeal period. As such, he is entitled to a TDIU.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's right ear hearing loss, finding that it is at least as likely as not related to service.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss and has remanded his claims of service connection for right shoulder disability and back disability due to incomplete STRs.

Your claim for a compensable evaluation for hearing loss in your left ear has been dismissed because you filed a concurrent election with the AOJ's decision.

The Board has dismissed the appeals for service connection for thyroid cancer, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus as they have already been adjudicated in previous decisions.

The Board has denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that the Veteran does not have a current disability of BHL. The claim is denied.,The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's tinnitus began during active service and is related to military noise exposure.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is at least as likely as not related to active service, and the Board has granted entitlement to service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's hearing acuity showed at most Level III impairment in both ears, resulting in a noncompensable rating for bilateral hearing loss. The Board denied the claim as there was no evidence to support a higher rating.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is a current disability and was incurred during his military service due to in-service noise exposure. The decision grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for allergic rhinitis, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), and bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome due to a duty to assist error. The Veteran is not presumed to have developed these conditions during his service in Afghanistan.

The Board has remanded the claims for a back disability, right ankle disability, and right and left knee disabilities due to insufficient evidence in the current record. The Veteran's service connection claim remains denied as there is no credible evidence of an in-service injury or disease.

The Veteran's appeal for an increased rating for an acquired psychiatric disorder and entitlement to special monthly compensation (SMC) based on housebound criteria was granted. The appellant is eligible to the direct payment of attorney fees for these decisions.

The Veteran's hearing loss has been rated as Level I in both ears, resulting in a noncompensable rating. The Board found that the evidence did not meet the criteria for a compensable rating.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability was incurred during service, resolving reasonable doubt in his favor.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current disability for VA purposes related to his claimed bilateral hearing loss, left eye disability, and both left and right toenail disabilities. The evidence shows no current hearing loss or vision issues, and no current toe conditions other than fungal infections.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings for bilateral hearing loss and major depressive disorder were denied, while the appeal for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea was remanded. The Board found that the evidence did not support higher disability ratings for either condition.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, cardiac arrhythmia, chronic sinusitis, and thoracolumbar spine pain. The Veteran's persistent depressive disorder claim is remanded.,Service connection was not granted for the Veteran's claimed conditions as there was no evidence of a nexus to service.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a traumatic brain injury, increased rating for gastrointestinal disorder, and bilateral hearing loss due to insufficient evidence of a current disability or causal relationship. The claims are remanded for further development.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension is denied as there is no evidence of an in-service injury, illness or event that resulted in the current disability.,The issue of entitlement to service connection for left hip pain is dismissed because it was recharacterized and granted by a December 2021 rating decision. The Veteran's claim remains moot.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for right ear hearing loss (claimed as bilateral hearing loss) is denied due to the lack of evidence meeting VA disability criteria.