Hearing loss Board decisions

The Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss disability is granted as incurred in service, with the Board finding that his statements of continuity of symptoms since service are credible and resolving reasonable doubt in his favor.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities prevent him from caring for himself and protecting himself, requiring regular aid and attendance. The Board has granted special monthly compensation based on the need for aid and attendance.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment, and the Board has granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) for the entire period on appeal.

The Veteran's right knee disability, diagnosed as degenerative joint disease of the right knee, is granted. The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are denied.,For the entire period on appeal, the Veteran's left knee instability with degenerative arthritis status post ACL reconstruction/meniscectomy is granted a 30 percent rating.

The Board has granted earlier effective dates of February 12, 2019 for the grant of a 40 percent rating for bilateral hearing loss, service connection for unspecified depressive disorder, and service connection for a migraine including migraine variants. The Veteran's basic eligibility to Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA) is also granted with this effective date.

The Veteran's tinnitus, bilateral hearing loss, acne vulgaris, scar from right knee surgery, and lumbosacral strain with spinal stenosis are all rated at the maximum allowed under VA guidelines. The Board has remanded for further review of these claims.,The Veteran's hearing loss is not compensable as it does not meet the criteria for a higher rating based on audiometric test results. His acne vulgaris and lumbosacral strain with spinal stenosis are also rated at their maximum allowed under VA guidelines, and the Board has remanded these claims.,The Veteran's scar from right knee surgery and scar from lumbar laminectomy do not meet the criteria for a compensable rating as they do not occupy an area of 929 square centimeters or greater.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, headache disability, and left knee chondromalacia patellae were denied. The claim for a rating in excess of 10 percent for the left knee chondromalacia patellae was also denied.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are related to his active duty service. The decision also finds that the Veteran's tinnitus is secondary to his service-connected bilateral hearing loss.

The Veteran's left ear hearing loss is not rated higher than the current non-compensable rating.,The Veteran does not have a diagnosed condition of headaches that causes impairment in earning capacity.,Service connection for OSA, secondary to service-connected right knee degenerative arthritis and obesity as an intermediate step, is granted.,Service connection for GERD is denied.,Service connection for sinusitis is denied.

The Veteran's tinnitus is granted service connection as it began in service and has continued since. However, his bilateral hearing loss is denied as the evidence does not show that it was caused by noise exposure during service.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was rated at 40 percent from January 16, 2015 to July 25, 2015. The rating is granted as the evidence shows a worsening of his hearing impairment during this period.

The Board has granted an effective date of July 12, 2021 for the grant of service connection for bilateral hearing loss. The Veteran's claim was submitted on a VA Form 21-526EZ in July 2021 and within one year he submitted a complete application on the September 2021 VA Form 20-0995.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to an inadequate opinion regarding the cause of the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss. The issue will be reviewed again with a new examination.

The proposed reduction of the rating for bilateral hearing loss from 30% to zero percent is dismissed.,Service connection for a dental disability for compensation purposes is denied.,An initial 30% rating for BPPV is granted.,Two issues (IBS with diarrhea and skin disorder of the face) are remanded due to duty to assist error.,The appeal of service connection for IBS with diarrhea and a skin disorder of the face is remanded.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the percentage requirements for a schedular TDIU rating. The Board finds there is not sufficient evidence to substantiate a reasonable possibility that the Veteran is unemployable due to service-connected disabilities and that TDIU benefits are not warranted because the Veteran is not unable to obtain and sustain financially gainful employment due to service-connected disabilities.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that there was no evidence linking these conditions to his active-duty service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for left ear hearing loss was granted in June 2021. The appeal is dismissed as the issue has been resolved.

The Veteran's appeal for a compensable initial rating for bilateral hearing loss was denied, while he was granted service connection for tinnitus.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for hearing loss is being remanded due to the lack of evidence showing an increase in severity prior to February 6, 2023.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for headaches is being remanded as there was no indication of intent to file such a claim before January 12, 2018.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that there is no evidence of a chronic disability during or within presumptive periods after service. The VA examiner opined that the Veteran did not have noise-induced hearing loss while in service and that delayed onset hearing loss is unlikely.