Hearing loss decisions — 2001

The Board has determined that the veteran's currently diagnosed bilateral hearing loss is related to his service, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has determined that the veteran's left ear hearing loss and tinnitus were not incurred or aggravated by service, and thus denied these claims. The right ear hearing loss is currently rated as Level II.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have current bilateral hearing loss disability for VA purposes, and therefore service connection is denied.

The veteran's appeal has been dismissed due to his death.

The veteran's post-traumatic stress disorder is currently rated at 50 percent, effective July 22, 1991. The VA has granted a higher initial rating for the veteran's post-traumatic stress disorder from April 29, 1999, to meet his current level of disability.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss due to new evidence showing noise exposure during service. The lung disability claim is remanded for further development and examination.

The VA determined that the veteran's bilateral hearing loss did not meet the criteria for a compensable rating under the current evaluation standards.

The Board found that the veteran's hearing loss did not warrant a restoration of his 70% rating for bilateral hearing loss effective September 1, 1996.

The Board granted service connection for left ear hearing loss and remanded the issues of increased ratings for bilateral hearing loss and a skin disorder. The RO subsequently assigned a 10 percent evaluation for bilateral hearing loss effective from April 4, 2004.

The veteran is seeking an earlier effective date for a 10 percent evaluation for service-connected hearing loss. The Board finds no legal basis for such an earlier effective date and therefore denies the claim.

The Board has granted a 40 percent evaluation for the veteran's service-connected sacroiliac strain, finding that his symptoms meet the criteria for such an evaluation. The highest schedular rating under Diagnostic Code 5295 is 40 percent.

The Board denied an increased evaluation for bilateral hearing loss, finding that the evidence did not warrant a higher rating based on the veteran's service-connected condition.

The Board has granted service connection for residuals of a right ankle sprain and confirmed the presence of a cortico avulsion fracture of the navicular in the right foot. The other conditions are not considered to be related to service.

The VA determined that the veteran's bilateral hearing loss does not meet the criteria for a compensable rating under the applicable disability evaluation guidelines.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for hearing loss and PTSD. The RO provided the veteran with VA medical, audiometric, and psychiatric examinations to assist in substantiating his claim.

The Board has determined that the veteran's service-connected disabilities do not warrant an evaluation in excess of the currently assigned ratings.

The veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings for bilateral hearing loss, insomnia, mid-back myositis, low back strain, and headaches have been denied. The RO found that the veteran does not meet the regulatory criteria for a current disability involving bilateral hearing loss. For the other conditions, the RO granted service connection but assigned 10 percent disability ratings.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for PTSD and denied his claims for service connection for hearing loss and tinnitus. The decision also reopened his previously denied claims for service connection for hearing loss and tinnitus.

The Board granted a 20 percent evaluation for the veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss, effective December 20, 2000. The veteran previously had a 10 percent evaluation and his claim was based on new evidence received after his initial claim.

The veteran's claims for service connection for hearing loss and lung condition, as well as his request for an increased rating for post-operative residuals of a right medial meniscal injury, were denied by the RO. The decision is final.