Hearing loss Board decisions

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is denied for a compensable rating prior to February 26, 2020 and denied for an increased rating in excess of 10 percent after that date.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss as there is no valid testing of record that meets the requisite auditory thresholds for a hearing loss disability for VA compensation purposes.

The Board has decided to remand the claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to new evidence received since the last final denial.

The Board has decided to remand the cases for further development and consideration, including obtaining addendum opinions from a qualified medical examiner regarding the etiology of the claimed tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for left ear hearing loss and a compensable disability rating for right ear hearing loss has been denied. The decision is based on the Veteran's withdrawal of his appeals in February 2017, which was valid.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that there was no evidence linking his current hearing loss to his military service. The Board noted that his hearing was normal at both entrance and separation from service.

The Board has remanded the claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to insufficient consideration of relevant service treatment records and the Veteran's lay statements.

The Board has remanded the cases of bilateral hearing loss disability and tinnitus due to insufficient evidence in the service treatment records, requiring a new VA examination.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability was evaluated as noncompensable throughout the appeal period, with no evidence of an increase in severity.

The Board has granted service connection for right ear hearing loss but has remanded the issue of service connection for an upper back disorder due to a lack of examination and opinion regarding this condition.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for left ankle disability, bilateral hearing loss, hypertension, left wrist disability, right knee disability, left knee disability, right shoulder disability, and left shoulder disability due to a pre-decisional duty-to-assist error.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to inconsistencies in his statements regarding the onset of his tinnitus and hearing loss, as well as inadequate VA examination opinions. The Veteran is also being advised that he must provide adequate responses to the audiological examinations.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for various hand and elbow conditions were denied as the evidence did not show that his service-connected conditions warranted a higher rating.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's symptoms began during his military service.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is rated at 70 percent, which is the maximum available rating under VA regulations.,The Veteran's hypertension is currently rated at 10 percent and does not meet the criteria for a higher evaluation.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that the evidence is at least in equipoise as to whether the Veteran's current hearing loss is related to his military service.

The Board has granted service connection for low back strain and bilateral hearing loss, finding that the Veteran's conditions had their onset in and are related to his military service.

The Veteran's PTSD is granted a rating of 50 percent, but no higher. The initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss is denied. Service connection is granted for right upper extremity peripheral neuropathy, left upper extremity peripheral neuropathy, and left lower extremity peripheral neuropathy due to exposure to herbicides and/or disabilities. Service connection is also granted for GERD, migraine headaches, TBI, neck disability, and low back disability.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have not rendered him unable to care for his daily personal needs without assistance from others, or unable to protect himself from the hazards and dangers of daily living on a regular basis. Therefore, entitlement to special monthly compensation (SMC) based on the need for regular aid and attendance is denied.

The Veteran's claims for a compensable evaluation for service-connected bilateral hearing loss and TDIU have been remanded due to duty-to-assist errors. The Veteran needs to be scheduled for a new examination to assess the current severity of his hearing loss.