Hearing loss Board decisions

The Veteran's appeal for increased ratings and service connection claims have been dismissed.,An increased rating of 100 percent for PTSD effective December 8, 2011 has been granted.

The Veteran's hearing loss in his right ear was incurred during service and the Board has granted service connection for this condition.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete records and the need for a VA examination. The Veteran's hearing loss is being evaluated again as part of this process.

The Board has dismissed the issues of entitlement to service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and a left shoulder disability due to the Veteran's withdrawal at his July 2022 hearing. The issue of psychiatric disability (to include PTSD and anxiety/depression) is remanded.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss prior to September 30, 2023, finding that there was no current disability to attribute to military service.

The Board dismissed the issue of service connection for right ear hearing loss as no substantive appeal was received.

The Veteran's somatic symptom disorder, chronic back pain, and right ear hearing loss are granted as secondary to service-connected musculoskeletal disorders. The claims for left ear hearing loss, cyst, and right eye impairment are denied.

The Veteran's service connection claims for left ear hearing loss, neck condition (cervical spine), back condition (cervical spine), left breast condition, muscle atrophy, left foot condition, and right foot condition have been granted. The rating of 20 percent has been restored for the left cervical sensory loss, circumflex nerve.

The Veteran's claim for increased ratings for bilateral hearing loss was denied as the evidence did not support a compensable rating prior to September 8, 2021 and no higher than 20 percent from September 8, 2021 to July 10, 2023. The claim for a rating in excess of 30 percent from July 10, 2023 was also denied.

The Veteran's appeal for increased ratings for his service-connected bilateral hearing loss is remanded due to the need for a new VA medical opinion regarding whether his ear symptoms are manifestations or symptoms of his service-connected hearing loss.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss is denied as there are no current audio readings in the record to meet the criteria under Diagnostic Code 6100.

The Veteran's claim for an initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss is denied as his puretone threshold averages do not meet the criteria for a higher rating.

The Board has granted service connection for left ear hearing loss but denied service connection for right ear hearing loss.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss is rated at 10 percent, effective October 2022. The Board found the evidence does not support a higher rating.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, but the claim of service connection for bilateral hearing loss is remanded due to a lack of probative value in the VA examiner's opinion regarding its onset during service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss and diabetes mellitus, type II due to a duty to assist error in prior VA examinations.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss have been denied as there is no evidence of an exceptional disability picture or additional functional impairment that would warrant a higher rating.

The Veteran's service connection for bilateral hearing loss and initial rating for inguinal hernia disability have been granted. The hearing loss is rated at 10 percent, effective December 2, 2021.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for hearing loss, finding that there is no evidence to support a link between his current hearing impairment and his military service.

Service connection for tinnitus is granted. Service connection and initial ratings for left ear hearing loss, right ear hearing loss, intervertebral disc syndrome (IVDS) with degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine, left lumbar radiculopathy, right knee disability, left knee disability, cervical spine disability, right shoulder disability, left shoulder disability, right elbow disability, and left elbow disability are denied. Service connection for major depressive disorder is also denied.