Hearing loss decisions — 2000

The veteran's claims for a compensable rating for hearing loss, reopening of service connection for left knee condition and residuals of frostbite of the feet were denied. The RO found that new evidence did not meet the criteria to reopen these claims.

The VA determined that the veteran's left ear hearing loss does not meet the criteria for a compensable evaluation.

The Board finds that the veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, back disability, bilateral shoulder disability and PTSD are not well-grounded.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for bilateral hearing loss and bilateral tinnitus, finding that the evidence does not support a rating in excess of 10 percent.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for residuals of a metal fragment injury of the left eye, neck disability, right arm disability, and right ear hearing loss. The evidence does not support these claims as well-grounded.

The Board found that the veteran's current bilateral hearing loss is not related to his service and denied the claim.

The Board has granted a separate evaluation of 10 percent for tinnitus and a zero percent evaluation for right ear hearing loss with tinnitus, previously rated as one disability.

The Board finds that the appellant's bilateral hearing loss and bilateral chondromalacia patella are service-connected as they are related to his active duty service.

The Board has determined that the veteran's bilateral hearing loss was incurred in service and granted service connection for it. The rating assigned is 70 percent.

The Board has determined that the veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss does not warrant an initial compensable evaluation.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a back disorder, obesity secondary to chondromalacia of the knees, and bilateral hearing loss. The claim for service connection on direct basis was not well-grounded as there was no evidence linking the current disorders to service or service-connected conditions. For obesity, the VA examiner concluded it developed independently of the knee condition. For bilateral hearing loss, the veteran did not meet the criteria for a disability under VA regulations.

The Board denied a rating in excess of 10 percent for the veteran's bilateral hearing loss, finding that his current audiometric results do not meet or approximate criteria for an evaluation higher than the current 10 percent.

The veteran's bilateral hearing loss with tinnitus is related to noise exposure during service.,The veteran's cervical spine disorder and lumbar spine disorder are not related to service.

The Board found no clear and unmistakable error in the September 18, 1968 decision denying service connection for bilateral hearing loss. The veteran's claim was denied as his hearing loss did not pre-exist service and was not aggravated by service.

The Board found that the veteran's current bilateral hearing loss is not linked to service and denied his claim for service connection.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for entitlement to TDIU, finding that his service-connected disabilities did not render him unemployable.

The Board has granted the veteran's claims for increased evaluations for his bilateral hearing loss disorder and psychogenic pain disorder, but denied service connection for low back injury residuals and head injury residuals. The low back disability is considered part of an already service-connected condition (psychogenic pain disorder), while the head injury claim lacks sufficient evidence to establish a direct or secondary relationship with service.

The Board denied a compensable evaluation for the veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss, finding that his hearing impairment did not meet the criteria under the applicable rating schedule.

The Board found that the veteran's left ear hearing loss did not undergo an increase in severity during service and denied his claim for service connection. For his low back disorder, there was no competent evidence showing a disease or injury incurred in service, leading to denial of service connection.

The Board has granted the veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD and hearing loss, finding that there is competent medical evidence of a current disability, an in-service occurrence or aggravation, and a nexus between the conditions. The claim for increased rating for hepatitis remains noncompensable as no new evidence was provided to reopen it.