Hearing loss decisions — 2000

The veteran's claims for service connection for right ear hearing loss, residuals of a removal of a growth of the right eyelid, and bilateral shoulder bursitis are not well-grounded. The claim for service connection for a scar of the right thigh is granted. The claims for compensable evaluations for left ear hearing loss, left ankle disability, and right thumb scar are denied.

The veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss, left hip disorder (claimed as secondary to right knee disability), and skin disorder were denied. The claim for service connection for the right knee disability was granted with a 10% evaluation.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss, gastrointestinal disability, and left knee disorder are not well-grounded. The evidence does not support a current diagnosis or link to these conditions.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss as his audiometric test results did not meet the criteria for a disability for VA purposes.

The Board denied the veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for hearing loss and lung condition, finding that new and material evidence had not been presented to reopen these claims. The claim for lung condition was also found to have no clear and unmistakable error in the prior rating decision.

The Board dismissed the appeal because service connection for bilateral hearing loss was already established in a prior rating decision, and the issue is now moot.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for hearing loss, a psychiatric disorder to include PTSD, and a compensable evaluation for pseudofolliculitis barbae. The claim for an evaluation in excess of 10 percent for left knee strain with chondromalacia was also denied.

The veteran's claim for an increased rating for his service-connected bilateral hearing loss disability is being remanded due to the need for additional medical examination and development.

The veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus was received on August 19, 1998. The effective date of the grants of service connection is set at August 19, 1998.

The Board denied reopening the claims for service connection due to lack of new and material evidence.

The Board has determined that the claims of tinnitus, a condition manifested by dizziness and vertigo, and hearing loss are not well grounded. The claim for service connection for hearing loss is reopened due to new evidence submitted since the last denial in 1983.

The Board found that the veteran's claims for right knee disability, pneumonia, and hearing loss of the left ear were not well-grounded. The claim to reopen his residuals of head injury with dizziness was also found to be well-grounded.

The VA determined that the veteran's bilateral hearing loss does not warrant an increased rating, as his current hearing acuity levels do not meet the criteria for a compensable evaluation under either the old or new rating schedules.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen the claim of service connection for hearing loss. The evidence shows that the veteran's hearing loss likely began during active duty, was aggravated by in-service nasal surgery, and is more than likely due to a combination of otosclerosis and noise-induced hearing loss.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claims for increased evaluations for tinnitus and right ear hearing loss are denied as there is no evidence to support an evaluation in excess of 10 percent under either the previous or amended rating criteria.

The Board has determined that the veteran's left ear hearing loss does not warrant a higher evaluation, as it is currently rated as noncompensably disabling.

The veteran's service connection claims for right ear hearing loss and chronic infection of the right ear are both granted.

The VA denied a compensable evaluation for the veteran's right ear hearing loss disability.

The Board has determined that the appellant's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are not well-grounded because there is no competent medical evidence of current disabilities.

The Board has determined that the veteran incurred bilateral hearing loss during active duty service and granted service connection for this condition.