Hearing loss Board decisions

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that there is no current disability of these conditions and insufficient evidence to establish a link between them and his military service.

The Board denied the claim of service connection for cause of death, finding that there was no evidence to support a causal link between the Veteran's service-connected conditions and his death.

The Veteran's eligibility for PCAFC benefits is being remanded due to the need for personal care services, as determined by VA medical providers. The decision on whether the program is in his best interest will be reconsidered.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's appeals for service connection of bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus as there is no valid appeal to review.

The Veteran's appeal for higher-level review of the April 3, 2020 decision is being remanded due to an error in applying the correct standard of new and relevant evidence.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability has been rated as noncompensable, and the claim for a higher rating is denied.,The Veteran's hypertension associated with herbicide exposure has not met the criteria for a compensable rating. The claim for an initial compensable rating is denied.,The VA examiner found it less likely than not that the Veteran's bilateral lower extremity neuropathy is related to his toxic exposures, including herbicide agent exposure and MOS-related exposure. The claim for service connection is remanded.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that these conditions are at least as likely as not related to the Veteran's active military service.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that the evidence is at least in approximate balance and supports a finding of current bilateral hearing loss due to noise exposure during military service.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for increased ratings and earlier effective dates in a May 2024 Board hearing, effectively dismissing all related issues.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right ear hearing loss began during active service and is granted as service connected.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, bilateral hearing loss, right shoulder condition, left shoulder condition, right leg condition, and left leg condition. The claims are denied for aggravation of pes planus.

The Board has remanded the claims for bilateral hearing loss, left hand condition, and right hand condition due to potential errors in duty to assist. The Veteran's service connection claims are related to exposure at Camp Lejeune.

The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 10 percent for tinnitus is denied as the disability is already at its maximum schedular rating.,Service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied because there is no current evidence of a hearing loss disability under VA regulations.,Service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD and anxiety, is denied due to lack of a diagnosed current disability conforming to the DSM-5 criteria.,Service connection for lumbar spine degenerative arthritis is denied as the condition is less likely than not related to active duty service.

The Veteran's hypertension is rated as noncompensable, and the Board has determined that a compensable rating is not warranted.,The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disorder and bilateral cataract disorder are remanded for further review due to inadequate opinions in the initial decision.,The Veteran's chest scar is rated as noncompensable, and the Board has determined that a compensable rating is not warranted.

The Board has dismissed the appeals of the deferred claims for hearing loss, PTSD, and a back disorder as they do not constitute an adjudicative determination from which an appeal may be filed.

The Veteran's bilateral tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss are granted as service-connected due to in-service noise exposure.

The appeal is dismissed due to the appellant's death during the pendency of the appeal.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right ear hearing loss is related to noise exposure during his military service, and thus remands the case for further examination and opinion.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a duty-to-assist error in the April and September 2018 VA examinations, which did not consider the Veteran's noise exposure during service.

The Board has denied service connection for right ear hearing loss due to lack of evidence meeting VA's definition of a disability. The claims for plantar fasciitis, hypertension, and diverticulitis are remanded as the duty to assist was not fulfilled.