Hearing loss decisions — 2001

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, and increased the rating for left brachial plexus neuropathy to 30 percent. The claim for an increased rating for bilateral varicose veins remains denied.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have a right ear hearing loss disability for VA compensation purposes and finds that his left ear hearing loss is likely due to noise exposure during service. The claim of service connection for right ear hearing loss is denied, while the claim for service connection for left ear hearing loss is granted.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional VA treatment records and will review the claim again after these records are obtained.

The Board of Veterans' Appeals has denied the veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that there is no evidence linking his current hearing loss to acoustic trauma during service.

The Board found that new and material evidence had not been submitted to reopen the claims for service connection for a back disability, residuals of a head concussion, and hearing loss due to treatment at a VA facility.,New and material evidence was submitted in support of the claim for compensation pursuant to 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 for hearing loss.

The Board has determined that there is no evidence of hearing impairment meeting VA criteria for a disability, and the medical opinion provided does not support a connection between the veteran's service and his current bilateral hearing loss. Therefore, the claim is denied.

The veteran's right ear hearing loss and tinnitus were both found to be incurred during his active duty service.

The Board has determined that the veteran's service-connected PTSD warrants a 50 percent rating, reflecting occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claim for service connection for hearing loss, finding new and material evidence. However, the Board concluded that the evidence does not support a grant of service connection as the hearing loss is considered to be pre-existing and did not worsen during service.

The VA has determined that the veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss is currently rated at 0 percent, which is the lowest possible rating. The evidence does not support a higher evaluation.

The Board has granted service connection for a stomach ulcer and hearing loss in the left ear, finding that these conditions were aggravated during active duty service.

The Board has granted service connection for subclavian steal syndrome and assigned a 10 percent rating, effective October 5, 2000. The veteran's claim for an earlier effective date is denied as there was no prior claim of entitlement to VA benefits pertaining to the disorder. The claim for a higher initial rating is also denied.

The veteran's claims for service connection for hearing loss in the left ear and an increased evaluation for hearing loss in the right ear are denied. The Board found that there is no evidence to support a finding of hearing loss disability in the left ear, and that the veteran's right ear hearing loss does not meet the criteria for a higher rating.

The Board found no new and material evidence to reopen the veteran's claim for service connection for a skin disorder due to Agent Orange exposure. The decision denied initial compensable disability ratings for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for hearing loss in the right ear, tinnitus, PTSD, anxiety disorder, and a chronic disorder characterized by multiple joint pain, arthralgia, left leg limp, and left leg cramps secondary to undiagnosed illness. The appeals were not about service connection at all.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and did not address the higher rating claims for right and left knee disorders, as well as the compensable rating claim for hypertension.

The VA has granted increased ratings for anxiety with depression, sinusitis with rhinitis, and tinnitus. The appellant's left ear sensorineural hearing loss, hemorrhoids, residuals of a left radius fracture, residuals of a right carponavicular bone fracture, and scars on the left cheek and lower lip are all rated at their maximum possible levels.

The veteran's claims for increased evaluations of his service-connected disabilities were denied. His bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus do not meet the criteria for a compensable evaluation, while other conditions are rated as noncompensably disabling.

The Board denied an increased rating for bilateral hearing loss, finding that the veteran's current disability level does not warrant a higher evaluation.

The Board has determined that the veteran's right ear hearing loss and tinnitus are related to his military service, with reasonable doubt resolved in favor of the veteran.