Hearing loss Board decisions

The Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for the awards of service connection for tinnitus and left ear hearing loss have been denied. The appeal for initial compensable disability rating for service-connected left ear hearing loss has also been denied. The appeals for service connection for bilateral shin splints, right hand disability, and left hand disability are remanded.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including type II diabetes mellitus with erectile dysfunction, pseudophakia, and hypertension, have rendered him unable to maintain regular, substantially gainful employment consistent with his education and experience.

The Veteran's initial compensable rating for service-connected bilateral hearing loss has been denied.,The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for diabetes, hypertension (secondary to diabetes), and erectile dysfunction (secondary to diabetes and hypertension).

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an anxiety disorder is dismissed. The initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss and the TDIU prior to May 12, 2016 are denied.

The Board has remanded the TDIU issue for development and adjudication, as it is part of the underlying service connection claim. The case will be referred to VA's Director of Compensation Service for extraschedular consideration due to the Veteran's unemployability primarily due to his service-connected psychiatric disorder from April 17, 2018, through August 23, 2019.

The Board has remanded multiple service connection claims for various disabilities, including heart disability, prostate disability, diabetes mellitus, peripheral neuropathy, stroke, back disability, bilateral hearing loss, hypertension, kidney disease, left knee disability, liver disease, neck disability, radiculopathy, right and left lower extremities, skin disability with trophic changes, and tinnitus. The claims are remanded due to the need for updated medical records and VA examinations.

The appeal for service connection of an acquired psychiatric disability other than PTSD is dismissed.,New and material evidence has been received to reopen the previously denied claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss, left knee disability, and essential tremors.

The Board has remanded two issues: whether new and material evidence has been received to reopen a claim of entitlement to service connection for bilateral hearing loss, and the issue of entitlement to a rating in excess of 10 percent for chronic fracture deformity, fourth metatarsal, right foot. The case is being remanded due to potential missing VA treatment records and inadequate VA examination.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a TDIU prior to November 15, 2022 due to his service-connected disabilities as they did not prevent him from securing and following substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's left ear hearing loss, persistent otorrhea, and chronic serous otitis media are not service-connected due to lack of additional disability caused by the 1987 parotidectomy.,Total erectile dysfunction and voiding dysfunction were not service-connected as they predated the surgeries in question.

The Board has remanded the cases for consideration of new and material evidence in relation to the Veteran's claims for gastritis, generalized anxiety disorder with panic attack, and bilateral hearing loss.

The Veteran's previously denied claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, right shoulder disability, skin disability, impaired vision, and colon polyps have been reopened. Service connection is granted for the skin disability (eczema). The other issues remain denied.

The Veteran was employed in a substantially gainful occupation prior to August 2, 2016. Therefore, the claim for TDIU is denied as he did not meet the criteria for a TDIU due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for bilateral hearing loss has been denied. The Board has also remanded the issue of service connection for hypertension, finding that a new medical opinion is necessary to determine if it is related to service or exposure to herbicide agents.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for further development due to incomplete STRs and other missing records. The Veteran is entitled to service connection for tinnitus, but his claim remains pending on all other issues.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete service records and a need for further examination. The Veteran's claim of service connection for bilateral hearing loss is pending.

The Board has granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including major depressive disorder and anxiety disorder. Service connection was also established for tinnitus, radiculopathy of the right lower extremity, radiculopathy of the left lower extremity, and left ear hearing loss effective January 18, 2018.

The Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for service connection are denied.,The Veteran's claims for increased initial ratings and effective dates for his service-connected disabilities are remanded.

The Board has found that further development is needed, including consideration of new evidence and issuance of a Supplemental Statement of the Case (SSOC). The claims for service connection for various disabilities are being remanded to allow for this additional review.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is due to acoustic trauma incurred during active service and grants service connection for this condition.