Hearing loss Board decisions

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for hearing loss disability and right knee disability due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error. The Veteran is required to undergo VA examinations to determine the etiology of his claimed disabilities.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been remanded due to the submission of new and relevant evidence.,New and relevant evidence has been received to readjudicate the claims for peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper and lower extremities.

The Veteran's claims for hearing loss and benign prostatic hyperplasia with frequent urination are being remanded due to the submission of new evidence. The RO will reassess these claims in light of the additional information provided.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a duty-to-assist error, requiring an addendum opinion regarding the nature and etiology of the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings have been denied. The Board found no evidence of right ear hearing loss for VA purposes, resulting in denial of the claim. For left ear hearing loss, a non-compensable rating was assigned based on current medical evidence. Claims for cold injuries were dismissed due to lack of jurisdiction.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea is related to his bilateral hearing loss, but additional development is needed due to conflicting medical opinions and lack of a baseline for aggravation.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his bilateral hearing loss has been granted, restoring the original 10 percent rating. The case is being remanded to obtain additional VA treatment records.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation, and the Board has granted a TDIU on an extra-schedular basis.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss has been granted a 100% evaluation, and his TDIU issue is dismissed as moot due to the grant of a 100% rating for his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's request for a higher-level review of the June 8, 2019 rating decision that denied service connection for hearing loss was timely due to good cause shown. The appeal is granted.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied as there is no current diagnosis of hearing loss in either ear.,Service connection for a left knee disability cannot be established due to the absence of a current disability and lack of evidence of an in-service injury or disease.,Service connection for right foot and left foot disabilities cannot be established because there is no current diagnosis of these conditions, and the Veteran has not provided sufficient evidence to establish their onset during service.,The Veteran's claim for a rating greater than 10 percent for her right knee disability is denied as she does not meet the criteria for instability or other functional loss that would warrant a higher rating under Diagnostic Codes 5260, 5261, and 5257.,Service connection for a psychiatric disability has been granted but the Veteran's claim for a TDIU is also granted as her condition alone prevents her from maintaining substantially gainful employment.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims of service connection for various conditions, including bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, right shoulder disability, sinus disability/allergic rhinitis, back disability, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), left knee disability, and sleep apnea. The claims are being remanded due to a duty to assist error.

The Board has determined that new and relevant evidence has been received to readjudicate the claim of entitlement to service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder. The Veteran's claim is being remanded due to the need for further development.,Service connection for sleep apnea is denied as there is no evidence showing a relationship between the condition and military service or a service-connected disability.

The Board has denied a higher disability rating for the Veteran's service-connected degenerative disc disease of the lumbosacral spine and has remanded the issue of service connection for bilateral hearing loss.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, a sleep disorder secondary to an acquired psychiatric disorder, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus have been granted due to the submission of new evidence that supports causal relationships between these conditions and his military service.

The Veteran's hearing loss has been rated as noncompensable (0%) throughout the appeal period, with Level I hearing impairment in both ears.

The Board has decided to remand the cases of left ear hearing loss and tinnitus for additional development.

The Veteran's tinnitus is currently rated at the highest schedular rating provided for that condition. The claim for service connection for left ear hearing loss has been remanded due to a duty-to-assist error.

The Board has remanded four issues related to service connection for sleep apnea, athlete's foot, broken bone in right foot (big toe), and hearing loss due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error. The Veteran is required to undergo VA examinations to determine the nature and etiology of these conditions.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss was denied as he failed to report for a VA examination without good cause, and the evidence did not show a connection between his current hearing loss and his active service.