Hearing loss Board decisions

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including bilateral hearing loss, GERD, IBS, right and left knee disabilities, sleep apnea, and an acquired psychiatric disorder have been remanded due to insufficient evidence or further clarification needed.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hearing loss disability began during active service and is related to his in-service noise exposure, granting his claim for service connection.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for left and right ear sensorineural hearing loss, as well as his request for an initial compensable rating for hypertension. The evidence does not support a finding that these conditions are related to military service.

The Veteran's PTSD symptoms have most nearly approximated occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas, warranting a 70% rating for the entire period on appeal. The Veteran is also granted TDIU prior to June 6, 2022.

The Veteran is granted service connection for tinnitus, as the evidence supports a finding that his tinnitus had its onset during service and persists. Service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied due to lack of current disability.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal prior to the hearing, leaving no issues for appellate consideration.

The Board denied service connection for tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss, finding no current disability of these conditions within the scope of the appeal.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a right knee disability is denied as there is no evidence of current disability or in-service event.,The Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for left knee and bilateral hearing loss are denied as the earliest date of claim is June 21, 2018.,The Veteran's initial rating for painful motion of the left knee is denied. A separate 10 percent rating for instability of the left knee is granted.,The Veteran's initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss is denied.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for left hip strain, right hip strain, head injury (traumatic brain injury), and bilateral hearing loss. The reasons provided include lack of evidence showing a current disability related to an in-service event or disease.

The Veteran's appeal for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for tinnitus and service connection for bilateral hearing loss was denied. The Board found no legal basis to grant a higher schedular rating for tinnitus or separate ratings for each ear, and there is no evidence of chronic hearing loss during service or within the presumptive period post-service.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's conditions are related to his military service.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and PTSD have been granted increased ratings, with the hearing loss receiving a 40% rating effective February 6, 2019. The TDIU claim has also been granted.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal, which includes the issues of bilateral hearing loss and left shoulder impingement syndrome.

The Veteran's initial noncompensable rating for service-connected bilateral sensorineural hearing loss is denied as his audiometric testing did not meet the criteria for a compensable disability rating.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus is denied. The claim of service connection for bilateral hearing loss is remanded due to inadequate VA examination and addendum opinion.

The Board has remanded the claim of service connection for bilateral hearing loss due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error and insufficient rationale in the January 2021 VA opinion. The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is related to noise exposure during service, but the examiner found it less likely than not caused by or a result of service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for left ear hearing loss, right ear hearing loss, and tinnitus due to lack of evidence showing a current disability or a link between his military service and these conditions.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss as there is no current disability of hearing loss, and the persuasive evidence does not show a diagnosis prior to the filing of her claim.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss has been rated as noncompensable, with a Maryland CNC speech recognition score of 90% in the right ear and 78% in the left ear. The Board found that this level of hearing acuity does not warrant a compensable rating.

The Board has determined that the VA examination conducted in May 2021 was inadequate and requires a new examination to determine if the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to his military service.