Hearing loss Board decisions

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are granted as service-connected.,Service connection is also granted for hypothyroidism, prostate cancer, and diabetes mellitus type II due to in-service herbicide exposure. Ischemic heart disease remains denied.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for high cholesterol is denied because there is no current disability. The case of bilateral hearing loss is remanded due to the need to obtain VA treatment records.

The Veteran's appeal for hypertension was withdrawn by the Veteran before a decision could be made. The claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were denied as there is no current diagnosis of these conditions.,The Veteran's right shoulder, left shoulder, right knee, left knee, low back disorder, and cervical spine disorder claims are remanded due to conflicting diagnoses and the need for additional medical opinions.

The Veteran's claims for service connection of a lumbar spine disorder and right ear hearing loss are being remanded due to the need for further examination and evaluation. The Veteran is also seeking an initial rating for allergic rhinitis, which has been granted.

The Board has found new and relevant evidence since the August 2008 denial, which includes a private opinion and audiogram. The claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are being remanded to allow for further review.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and low back condition are granted service connection, but the claim for a left hip condition is remanded due to insufficient evidence.

The Veteran's allergic rhinitis is currently rated as noncompensable, but a 30 percent rating has been granted for the appeal period due to the presence of nasal polyps.,For service connection claims for lumbar spine disorder and right ear hearing loss, additional evidence may be needed to determine their etiology.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss as there is no evidence of a nexus between his current disability and in-service noise exposure. The Veteran's entrance and exit audiograms showed normal hearing, and he did not report any complaints or significant threshold shifts during service.

The Veteran withdrew their appeal for an increased rating for bilateral hearing loss before the Board could make a decision.

The Veteran's appeal for an initial rating of 30 percent for allergic rhinitis is granted. The Board finds that the Veteran's allergic rhinitis with polyps warrants a 30 percent rating.,The Veteran's claims for service connection for lumbar spine disorder and right ear hearing loss are remanded due to the need for further examination.

The Veteran's claims for bilateral eye disability, bilateral hearing loss, type II diabetes mellitus (insulin dependence), bilateral kidney condition, erectile dysfunction, peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities, and acquired psychiatric disability were all denied as there is no persuasive evidence of a current disability during or shortly before the pendency of the claim.,The Veteran's claims for service connection are based on his exposure to hazardous noise in military service. However, the VA examiner found that the Veteran does not have a current hearing loss disability and noted that there was no significant shift in hearing thresholds beyond test variability from the Veteran's entrance to separation.

The Board has dismissed the appeal of service connection for the purpose of establishing eligibility to treatment as already granted. The issues on appeal have been remanded for additional development and examination.

The Veteran's asthma was denied as it is not related to service.,Bilateral hearing loss was denied due to lack of evidence meeting VA criteria for a disability.,Pseudofolliculitis barbae did not meet the criteria for an initial compensable rating.,Keloids on the nape of the neck were remanded as there is insufficient evidence regarding their etiology.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to inadequate opinions regarding their etiology. The Veteran's exposure in service is conceded, but there is insufficient evidence linking his current conditions to military noise exposure.

The Veteran's claim for a TDIU on an extraschedular basis prior to November 2, 2022 is being remanded due to the AOJ's failure to refer it to the Director of Compensation Service.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable evaluation for bilateral hearing loss has been denied as his left and right ear hearing acuity is no worse than Level I, which corresponds to a noncompensable rating.

The Board has granted the Veteran's appeal regarding whether a timely VA Form 9 was filed in response to the April 2020 SOC, finding that good cause exists due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The merits of the service connection claims for back disability, bilateral knee disabilities, and hearing loss will be addressed in a separate decision.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's periods of active duty for training (ACDUTRA) and inactive duty training (INACDUTRA), which could affect his service connection claim for bilateral hearing loss. The VA must verify these periods and provide an adequate medical opinion on whether the Veteran's hearing loss is related to his military service.

The Veteran's initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss is denied.,The Veteran's initial rating in excess of 10 percent for tinnitus is denied.,The issue of service connection for insomnia as secondary to service-connected tinnitus has been added and remanded.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss is at least as likely as not related to noise trauma sustained during service, and therefore grants service connection for this condition.