Hearing loss decisions — 2000

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including a low back disorder, an adjustment disorder, PTSD, tinnitus, and right ear hearing loss. The evidence did not support these claims.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is not subject to new and material analysis. The application to reopen a previously denied claim for service connection for a bilateral shoulder disability was successful due to submission of new and material evidence, but the preponderance of medical evidence does not support a finding of service connection.

The Board found that the veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss and perforated left tympanic membrane were not well-grounded, as there was no current evidence of a disability meeting VA compensation criteria. The Board also noted that the perforation of the left tympanic membrane occurred prior to service and did not worsen during service.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for bilateral hearing loss due to new evidence submitted since January 1996. The claim is well-grounded, and the evidence supports a finding that the veteran's hearing loss began during his military service in World War II.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including hearing loss, deviated septum, conjunctivitis, keratitis corneal injury, right otitis media, and residuals of a septoplasty, are not well-grounded.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings have been denied. The current rating of 50 percent for excision, basal cell carcinomas of the face, neck, and arm is upheld. A 10 percent rating for a synovial tear, right knee, effective as of December 6, 1993, has been granted. Bilateral hearing loss disability remains at noncompensable prior to August 1, 1995, with an increased rating to 10 percent effective from that date.

The Board denied a compensable evaluation for the veteran's service-connected left-sided hearing loss, finding that the schedular criteria did not meet the requirements.

The veteran's right knee, eye, sinus, hearing loss (right ear), and migraine headache disabilities are all found to be service-connected.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for hearing loss of the right ear and an increased evaluation for PTSD. The decision found that there was no competent medical evidence linking the current hearing loss to service, and that the criteria for a higher rating under DC 9411 were not met.

The veteran's claim for an increased rating for bilateral hearing loss is being remanded to the RO for consideration of both old and revised rating criteria, including the revised criteria effective June 10, 1999. The RO must consider all relevant medical evidence and provide a VA audiological examination.

The veteran's claim for special monthly pension based on the need for aid and attendance or being housebound is denied due to his inability to perform activities of daily living and his ability to travel away from his home.

The Board has determined that the appellant's service connection for hearing loss is granted due to exposure to noise during his military service in World War II.

The VA has determined that the veteran's bilateral hearing loss does not warrant a compensable evaluation, as his pure tone thresholds and speech recognition scores do not meet the criteria for any higher rating under the applicable VA Schedule for Rating Disabilities.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for tinnitus and right ear hearing loss, finding that the current assigned ratings were the highest warranted.

The veteran's claims for increased evaluations of his service-connected paranoid schizophrenia and bilateral hearing loss, as well as a total rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities, were denied because the veteran failed to appear for scheduled VA examinations.

The Board has determined that the appellant did not file an adequate substantive appeal regarding his claims for service connection and nonservice-connected pension purposes. As a result, these issues are dismissed.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claims for service connection for hearing loss and tinnitus are not well grounded. The evidence does not establish an in-service injury or event, nor a current disability, and there is no medical nexus between any present condition and service.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for bilateral hearing loss is not well grounded. The evidence does not establish a link between the veteran's current hearing loss and his period of active military service.

The Board found that the veteran's claims for service connection for cerebritis with a seizure disorder and bilateral hearing loss were not well-grounded as there was no medical evidence of current disabilities related to these conditions. The claim for cerebritis with a seizure disorder was denied due to lack of residuals, while the claim for bilateral hearing loss was denied because there was no evidence of hearing impairment compatible with 38 C.F.R. § 3.385.

The veteran's claim for an increased initial rating for his service-connected bilateral hearing loss was denied by the Board. The RO initially awarded a noncompensable rating, but later granted a compensable initial rating of 20 percent effective from the date of separation from service.