Hearing loss Board decisions

The Veteran's service connection claims for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and a traumatic brain injury with residuals were denied. The Board has ordered the case to be remanded for further development.

The Board has determined that additional evidence was added to the record since the last decision and requires further consideration. The claims for service connection are being remanded for this purpose.

The Veteran's claims for an initial compensable rating for service-connected bilateral hearing loss and TDIU prior to November 3, 2021 are remanded due to the need for additional examinations and clarification of previous examination results.

The Veteran's service-connected conditions (other specified trauma and stressor related disorder, tinnitus, and hearing loss) are all granted. The Board finds that the Veteran is not unemployable due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, but has remanded the remaining issues including hypertension, low back disability, ankle disabilities, knee disabilities, and Persian Gulf War illness.

The Veteran's tinnitus is granted as service connection due to the evidence being in approximate balance regarding its onset during service.,Service connection for bilateral hearing loss and an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, anxiety, and depression are remanded due to insufficient evidence.

The Veteran's service connection claims for right leg condition, left leg condition, vertigo, and right ear hearing loss have been denied as there is no evidence of these conditions during the appeal period.

The Veteran's TDIU claim was denied prior to January 25, 2012 due to the lack of evidence showing he was unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation due to service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied. The Board finds the evidence does not establish current hearing loss in either ear that qualifies for purposes of service connection.,The appeals for service connection for right leg and left leg shin splints are remanded as there is no medical evidence or credible lay evidence establishing a current disability during the pendency of the claim period.,The appeal for an initial disability rating in excess of 10 percent for service-connected right ankle strain status post fracture is remanded due to conflicting information regarding functional loss and ankylosis.,The appeal for service connection for right knee gout is remanded as there are contradictory findings regarding the Veteran's ability to flex his knee during a flare-up.,The appeal for service connection for temporomandibular joint disability is remanded due to incomplete examination report and unclear reasons provided by the examiner.,The appeals for service connection for lumbar spine and cervical spine disabilities are remanded as there is insufficient evidence regarding continuity of symptoms or treatment post-service.,The appeals for service connection for right hand and left hand disabilities are remanded due to lack of a VA medical examination addressing these conditions.,The appeal for service connection for left knee disability is remanded as the VA Regional Office has not obtained an appropriate medical examination or opinion regarding this condition.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for right ear hearing loss due to a lack of current diagnosis meeting VA criteria.

The appeal for bilateral hearing loss is dismissed. Service connection has been granted for paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia and fibromyalgia, both presumed to be related to service exposure in the Gulf War Theater. The back disorder and ankle disorders are remanded.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for service connection and a total disability rating due to PTSD was denied. The Board found that the September 2007 denial of service connection for PTSD became final, as the Veteran did not appeal it within one year. The earliest effective date for service connection is March 23, 2010.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied, and the claim for an increased rating for PTSD is remanded.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate medical opinions and further development is needed.

The Veteran's service-connected coronary artery bypass grafting with atrial fibrillation and chronic kidney disease, hypertension, low back strain, left lower extremity radiculopathy, right lower extremity radiculopathy, and bilateral hearing loss have been granted ratings. The highest possible rating of 100 percent has been assigned for the Veteran's coronary artery bypass grafting with atrial fibrillation and chronic kidney disease due to constant albuminuria with some edema; or definite decrease in kidney function; or hypertension at least 40 percent disabling under Diagnostic Code 7101. A separate 10 percent rating is granted for hypertension. The Veteran's low back strain, left lower extremity radiculopathy, and right lower extremity radiculopathy have been rated as 40 percent each, but not higher, based on limitation of motion under the General Rating Formula for Diseases and Injuries of the Spine (General Rating Formula). Bilateral hearing loss has also been granted a separate rating of 10 percent.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss, right knee disability, left knee disability, left ankle disability, right ankle disability, and bilateral foot disability due to inadequate opinions from a June and December 2023 VA examiner. The Veteran is scheduled for VA examinations to determine the etiology of his disabilities.

The Veteran withdrew his claims for an increased rating for tinnitus and an effective date prior to June 10, 2015, for service connection for tinnitus.,The Board found new and material evidence has been presented to reopen the claim of entitlement to service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD and MDD).

The Veteran's initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss was denied as his audiometric test results did not meet the criteria for a higher evaluation.,Service connection for right shoulder disability and left knee disability were both denied due to lack of in-service incurrence or relationship to service.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was granted a 10 percent rating from July 19, 2021 to June 10, 2022. The Board found that the evidence did not support an earlier effective date for the increased rating due to lack of factual ascertainability.

The Board has denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) due to a lack of evidence showing the presence of these conditions during service or their relationship to service. The Veteran's low back disability is also remanded for further examination and opinion.,Service connection for body aches, including fibromyalgia, was not granted as there was no diagnosis of fibromyalgia found in the VA examination.