Hearing loss decisions — 2000

The Board found that the veteran's claims for service connection were not well-grounded, as there was no medical evidence linking his current conditions to his active service or chemical exposure.

The Board found that the veteran did not submit new and material evidence to reopen his claim for service connection for hearing loss. The decision also noted that there was no clear and unmistakable error in the July 1981 decision denying service connection for hearing loss.

The Board dismissed the claim for payment of attorney fees from past-due benefits due to both the veteran and his attorney having died, and there being no PDBs available.

The appeal has been dismissed as the appellant withdrew their appeal prior to a decision being made.

The Board found no medical evidence linking the appellant's current hearing loss, tinnitus, Meniere's disease, or right knee disability to his military service. The claim for a back disability was reopened due to new and material evidence but the claim remains denied as there is insufficient evidence of in-service injury.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, a disability of the right hand and wrist secondary to his service-connected gunshot wound to the right index finger, and a compensable rating for residuals of a gunshot wound to the right index finger. The evidence did not support these claims.

The Board found no evidence of in-service hearing loss and denied the veteran's claim for service connection.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings for service-connected hearing loss in the left ear and healed fracture of the left thumb were denied. The Board found that the current evaluations under both old and new rating criteria did not meet the requirements for a compensable evaluation.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for initial ratings of noncompensable and 10 percent for his service-connected bilateral hearing loss and chronic left ear mastoiditis with attic defect and cholesteatoma, respectively.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for impotence and a disability manifested by inner ear trauma, other than Meniere's Disease. The claim for bilateral hearing loss was also denied as not well-grounded.

The Board has determined that the appellant's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is not well grounded, and his claim for an increased evaluation for photocoagulation of the retina with residual serous detachment of the right eye remains at a 30 percent rating.

The Board has granted a 10 percent evaluation for the veteran's service-connected right ear hearing loss with perforated eardrum, effective March 5, 1998. The claim is denied prior to that date.

The veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss is currently manifested by auditory acuity level II in both ears, which corresponds to a noncompensable rating. The Board denied the claim for an increased (compensable) rating for bilateral hearing loss.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that neither condition warranted a rating higher than noncompensable.

The Board has dismissed the appeals of the veteran's service connection claims for hearing loss, pleurisy, and stomach disorder as well as his claim for an increased rating for anxiety disorder due to his withdrawal of these appeals in a statement received at a February 2000 hearing.

The Board found that the veteran's claims for service connection were not well grounded and denied them.

The Board has determined that the veteran's PTSD is related to his service, and he meets the criteria for service connection. The hearing loss and tinnitus claims are not well-grounded.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and a bilateral eye disorder due to lack of competent medical evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Board found that new and material evidence had been submitted, allowing the veteran's claim of service connection for hearing loss to be reopened. However, the claim was not well-grounded as there is no medical nexus showing a relationship between current hearing loss and military service or noise exposure coincident with service.

The Board has determined that the veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss is due to acoustic trauma in service, and thus grants the claim.