Hearing loss Board decisions

The Veteran withdrew his appeal of the hearing loss issue, so it is dismissed.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss, finding that the evidence is at least in equipoise regarding these conditions and favoring the Veteran.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to a failure to provide proper notice of his right to a pre-decisional hearing before the AOJ.

The Veteran's request for a compensable disability rating for left ear hearing loss is remanded due to the age of the last VA examination and the need for a new one.

The Board has remanded the claims for bilateral hearing loss, obstructive sleep apnea, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), bronchospasm, and jaw condition due to insufficient evidence or inadequate examination.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is service-connected, as it is presumed to be due to his active military service based on his reported noise exposure during service.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection on multiple conditions have been dismissed due to his withdrawal of the appeal.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss has been manifested by hearing acuity of no worse than Level IV in the right ear and no worse than Level I in the left ear. The Board finds that such results equate to a noncompensable (zero percent) rating for his bilateral hearing loss disability.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to unclear reasons for denial and inadequate notice. The claim will be reviewed under applicable regulations regarding payment of non-VA medical care.

The Veteran's appeals for higher ratings for major depressive disorder, service connection for hearing loss, and initial compensable rating for right-hand osteoarthritis were denied. The appeal for service connection for a left hand condition was also denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection have been remanded due to insufficient evidence. The issues of service connection for pulmonary lung condition, bilateral hearing loss, left knee injury, and IBS are being reviewed.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the evidence is at least in equipoise to show these conditions are related to the Veteran's military noise exposure.

The Veteran's service connection claim for allergic rhinitis is granted due to exposure in the Southwest Asia theater of operations. Service connection for bilateral hearing loss and irritable bowel syndrome is denied as there is no current disability or objective indications thereof.

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

The Veteran's appeal for a rating in excess of 50 percent prior to April 1, 2022, and in excess of 70 percent thereafter for service-connected PTSD is dismissed. The claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss has been readjudicated due to new evidence received.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal of the claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss.

The Veteran's claims for a compensable rating for right ear hearing loss and service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder are remanded due to the need for further development, including obtaining unit records to corroborate in-service stressors.

The Veteran's service connection claims for left ear hearing loss, right ear hearing loss, and tinnitus have been denied. The Board found that the Veteran did not meet the criteria for service connection for left ear hearing loss due to lack of a current disability as per VA standards. For right ear hearing loss, the Board assigned great probative value to the VA examiner's opinion, finding no in-service incurrence or aggravation and no nexus to military noise exposure. Service connection was granted for tinnitus based on lay testimony regarding its onset during service.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, but remanded the issue of service connection for bilateral hearing loss due to incomplete consideration of evidence regarding actual noise exposure during service.

The Board has found that there is a pre-adjudication duty to assist error and remands the case for an opinion on the etiology of the Veteran's hearing loss.