Hearing loss decisions — 2000

The veteran's hearing loss does not meet the criteria for a disability for VA compensation purposes, and therefore his claim is denied.

The Board has granted service connection for left ear hearing loss and tinnitus, and increased the rating for postoperative, recurrent, maxillary and ethmoid sinusitis to 10 percent disabling. The claim for an increased rating for residuals of avulsion fracture, left ulna, with traumatic arthritis and bone deformity remains in controversy as it has not been addressed by the RO.

The Board has determined that the veteran's bilateral hearing loss warrants a 10 percent rating effective from May 5, 1997. This decision is based on his current audiometric results.

The Board's decision to deny service connection for right ear hearing loss is reversed, and the veteran is granted service connection for this condition.

The Board has determined that additional medical records are needed to properly evaluate the appellant's claims, including those related to his service-connected disabilities and any new disability. The RO is instructed to obtain these records and schedule the appellant for appropriate VA compensation or fee-basis examinations.

The Board has determined that the evidence received since the May 1962 rating decision is not new and material to reopen the veteran's claim for service connection for hearing loss. The claims for residuals of wounds to the right leg and residuals of frozen feet are denied.

The Board has determined that the veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to service, granting their claims.

The Board denied an evaluation in excess of 10 percent for right ear hearing loss. The veteran's appeal was dismissed due to his death during the pendency of the appeal.

The Board has determined that the veteran's bilateral hearing loss does not warrant a compensable evaluation, as it only meets level I criteria in both ears.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claims for service connection for hearing loss and hypertension, but denied them on the merits. The evidence did not establish a link between the conditions and active service.

The VA has granted an initial noncompensable rating for the appellant's service-connected bilateral hearing loss, and subsequently increased it to a 10 percent rating effective October 26, 1999. The current evaluation is based on the revised criteria effective June 10, 1999.

The veteran is seeking service connection for hearing loss in the left ear as secondary to his already service-connected right ear hearing loss. The RO has ordered a remand to obtain an opinion on whether the right ear hearing loss has caused or aggravated the left ear hearing loss.

The veteran's claims for service connection for a back disorder and hearing loss are being remanded due to the need for additional development of evidence.

The veteran is permanently and totally disabled due to multiple physical disabilities, including degenerative intervertebral disc disease of the lumbar spine, traumatic arthritis of the right ankle joint, reflex sympathetic dystrophy of the right leg and foot, mild chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, gastroesophageal reflux disease, and bilateral hearing loss. The Board finds that he meets the criteria for a permanent and total disability rating for pension purposes.

The veteran's claim for a compensable evaluation for bilateral hearing loss was denied as his current hearing acuity does not meet the criteria for a compensable rating under VA regulations.,The veteran's claim for a separate compensable evaluation of 10 percent for multiple service-connected disabilities evaluated as noncompensable under the criteria of 38 C.F.R. § 3.324 was also denied, as there is no evidence that his service-connected disabilities interfere with his normal employability.

The veteran's hearing loss of the right ear is currently manifested by an average pure tone threshold of 66db, which does not meet the criteria for a compensable rating.

The Board has granted service connection for hearing loss of the right ear and tinnitus, as well as service connection for a skin disorder presumed due to Agent Orange exposure. The veteran's PTSD is rated at 70 percent.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, a left knee disability, and acquired headaches. The decision is based on the lack of new and material evidence to reopen these claims.

The veteran's residuals of frozen feet are found to be service-connected. The hearing loss and iritis issues remain unresolved.

The Board denied the veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for bilateral hearing loss and a bilateral foot disorder due to lack of evidence showing these conditions occurred in service or were related to service.