Hearing loss Board decisions

The Board has identified a pre-decisional duty to assist error and has remanded the claims for further action, including obtaining an addendum opinion from a VA examiner.

The Veteran's hearing loss was rated as zero percent, and the Board has remanded for further examination to determine if service connection is warranted for his left shoulder and low back disabilities. The issues of entitlement to increased ratings for bilateral hearing loss and service connection for left shoulder and low back disabilities are now pending.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) on an extraschedular basis due to his service-connected disabilities, finding that he is unable to secure and follow substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, in combination, rendered him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation as of August 10, 2019. As such, the Board has granted a TDIU effective from that date.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is currently rated as noncompensable, with Level I hearing acuity in both ears. The Board finds that the current rating adequately compensates for his service-connected bilateral hearing loss.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a pre-decisional error regarding the adequacy of the VA examination and opinion provided. The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is being reviewed again with the expectation that a new, more comprehensive medical opinion will be obtained.

The Board has remanded the case due to an error in providing notice of the right to a pre-decisional hearing before the AOJ. The Veteran was not notified of this right prior to the AOJ's decision.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is granted service connection. The ratings for his left and right knee scars, as well as the rating for his right knee disability, are denied prior to August 25, 2022. The claims for secondary service connection of obstructive sleep apnea, hypertension, an acquired psychiatric disability (adjustment disorder), and a gallbladder disability are remanded.

The Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are remanded due to a lack of an addendum opinion addressing the relationship between his in-service noise exposure and current hearing conditions.

The Veteran's anorectal adenocarcinoma is granted service connection, while his left ear hearing loss claim is denied.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus and remanded the issues of bilateral hearing loss and an acquired psychiatric disorder.

The Veteran's lumbar degenerative disc disease is rated at 40 percent, granting an initial disability rating. Service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are also granted.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss as there is no current diagnosis of a hearing disability that meets VA criteria.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development, including obtaining missing audiograms and considering private treatment records regarding the Veteran's heart disability. The TDIU claim is inextricably intertwined with the other claims.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss, and the case is dismissed.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus and denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, left ankle disability, left foot disability, and an acquired psychiatric disability to include depression.

The Veteran's son is denied additional accrued benefits as the expenses claimed were not paid by him, but rather by his father who was in a nursing home at the time of death.

The Board denied service connection for a back disability, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to service.,Specifically, the VA examiner found no nexus between the Veteran's current disabilities and his military service.

The Veteran's service connection claims for poor vision, right fifth finger disability, and left ear hearing loss have been denied. The Board found no evidence of a current disability related to these conditions during or after service.,Service connection for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), allergies, heart rhythm, and hypertension has been remanded due to insufficient evidence.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for right ear hearing loss and initial compensable rating for left ear hearing loss due to in-service noise exposure. The Veteran's current hearing impairment does not meet the criteria for a compensable rating.