Hearing loss Board decisions

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss as the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of hearing loss that meets VA's definition.

The Board has determined that the VA hearing loss examination provided in October 2018 was inadequate, as it did not consider the Veteran's lay statements regarding his symptoms beginning during active duty and persisting since then. The Board is therefore remanding the case to obtain an addendum from the examiner.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and lumbar spine disability are granted as service-connected.,The Veteran's right shoulder disability is granted as service-connected, while his left shoulder disability is denied.

The Veteran's tinnitus claim is granted as new and relevant evidence has been received.,The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and chronic bilateral ear condition with pain, ruptured eardrum claims are remanded for further development.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is related to his exposure to noise during active service and grants the claim for service connection.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that there is no evidence of a current disability during or within one year after service and concluding that the Veteran's hearing loss is not related to military noise exposure.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) based on the Veteran's credible statements of in-service symptoms and their continuity since discharge.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is related to service, resolving all reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were granted effective June 20, 2020. The Board denied earlier effective dates as the earliest possible date is June 20, 2020.

The Veteran's left shoulder disability and plantar fasciitis are service-connected, while his right ear hearing loss is not.

The Board denied the Veteran's request to readjudicate his claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss as there was no new and relevant evidence presented since the June 2012 rating decision.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection were dismissed due to their death. The Board has no jurisdiction to adjudicate the merits of these claims as they have become moot.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus due to military noise exposure. The issue of service connection for bilateral hearing loss is remanded as there was a duty to assist error in obtaining an adequate medical opinion.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for service connection of bilateral hearing loss and entitlement to TDIU prior to April 19, 2022 is denied. The Board found that the Veteran did not meet the schedular criteria for a grant of TDIU due to his tinnitus disability.

The Board has granted service connection for migraine headaches, but remanded the issue of service connection for bilateral hearing loss due to a lack of an adequate VA examination and opinion.

The Board dismissed the Veteran's appeals for service connection for episodic lumbosacral strain with right side sciatica, bilateral hearing loss, and a compensable disability rating for tinea versicolor effective October 1, 2001. The December 2020 document was not considered a valid decision by VA.

The Board has found that the Veteran does not have a current left ear hearing loss disability as defined by VA regulations. The right ear hearing loss claim is remanded due to a pre-decisional duty-to-assist error.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied as he does not have a current disability.,Service connection for low back pain and dysfunction is also denied due to lack of credible evidence linking the condition to active duty. The Veteran did not report recurrent back pain during his separation examination, and there are no contemporaneous medical records indicating treatment for this issue.,The Veteran's PTSD claim has been granted with a 50% rating since February 10, 2020. The Board found that the symptoms associated with PTSD more closely approximate those of a 70% disability rating.

The Board has determined that new and relevant evidence has been received to warrant readjudication of the Veteran's claim for service connection for left ear hearing loss. The appeal is granted in part, as the issue of entitlement to service connection for left ear hearing loss is remanded.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is not rated higher than noncompensable.,Service connection for loss of smell and taste, to include as due to environmental exposures during the Persian Gulf War, is granted. The Board finds that the evidence supports a finding of service connection based on continuity of symptoms since separation from service.,The Veteran's residuals of right thumb laceration with bone chip and nerve damage are not service connected.,Service connection for hemorrhoids, to include as due to environmental exposures during the Persian Gulf War, is denied.