Hearing loss decisions — 2001

The Board has reopened the veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, residuals of cold injuries to his hands and feet (frostbite), and a bilateral elbow condition. However, it was not able to establish that these conditions were incurred in or aggravated by military service.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have service connection for left ear hearing loss or right knee disability. The claim for increased rating for right ear perforated tympanic membrane with retraction of drum and mixed hearing loss is also denied.

The Board denied a higher rating for bilateral hearing loss and denied an earlier effective date for service connection due to lack of evidence supporting the veteran's claims.

The Board has determined that the unappealed rating decision of February 26, 1952 was clearly and unmistakably erroneous in denying service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus. As a result, these conditions are now considered service-connected.

The Board has determined that the veteran's current bilateral hearing loss is at least as likely as not related to noise exposure during his military service, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Board granted service connection for androgenic alopecia, but denied the remaining claims. The veteran's left bunionectomy with osteoarthritis is currently evaluated as 10 percent disabling, while his right ear hearing loss is rated at 30 percent.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and secondary service connection for a left ankle disability. The decision found that the veteran's current hearing loss was not incurred in or aggravated by service, and his left ankle disability is proximately due to or the result of service-connected disabilities of the right and left knees.

The case is being remanded for additional development due to the Veterans Claims Assistance Act of 2000 (VCAA). The RO must ensure all notification and development action required by the VCAA are completed, including obtaining relevant records identified by the veteran.

The veteran's service-connected hearing loss and tinnitus do not prevent him from securing or following substantially gainful employment, considering his educational and occupational background.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have current right ear hearing loss or left ear hearing loss severe enough to warrant a compensable rating. The non-service connected right ear is assigned a Level I designation, and the left ear's mild conductive hearing loss results in a noncompensable evaluation.

The Board has determined that the veteran's current right ear hearing loss disability is causally related to noise exposure during his military service, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has granted service connection for coronary artery disease and denied service connection for the veteran's heart condition, hypertension, thoracic disorder, therapeutic outlet syndrome, bilateral hearing loss, allergic rhinitis with sinusitis and allergies, and chondromalacia patella of the left knee. The evaluation for low back disability was increased to 20 percent effective from January 1, 1996.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection for left ear hearing loss and determined that it was incurred during active service.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete information and further development is required.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for hearing loss and vision problems, finding that there is no current disability meeting VA criteria for a hearing loss or vision problem. The veteran was not granted service connection as his conditions are considered to be due to natural progression of age rather than in-service injury or disease.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and cervical spondylosis with complaints of shoulder pain, as well as his requests for higher initial disability ratings for degenerative changes of the right great toe and residuals of a fracture of the left fifth toe.

The veteran is seeking service connection for various mental conditions, chronic headaches, bilateral hearing loss and scars on the left rib cage area. The RO has ordered additional development to determine if there is a nexus between these conditions and his military service.

The Board has remanded the case for further development and consideration of the veteran's claims, including service connection for vertigo/dizziness and a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection and increased evaluation, finding no new evidence to reopen his claim of second degree burn scars. The other issues were also denied.

The Board dismissed the veteran's claims for service connection due to a lack of jurisdiction over the issue of whether new and material evidence has been submitted sufficient to reopen his claims.