Hearing loss decisions — 2001

The Board has determined that the veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are service-connected due to exposure to acoustic trauma during his military service.

The Board has determined that further development is needed to determine the relationship between the veteran's claimed conditions and his active military service, including verifying in-service stressful events for PTSD.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for an effective date earlier than March 23, 1989, for service connection of OBS and for increased evaluation of OBS. The RO assigned a 10 percent evaluation for OBS effective March 23, 1989.

The VA determined that the noncompensable disability evaluation for bilateral hearing loss was proper, and denied the veteran's appeal.

The Board found no evidence of a current disability for which service connection may be granted, including for the claimed bilateral hip condition, knee condition, ankle condition, low back condition, and hearing loss. Therefore, service connection is denied.

The Board has remanded the case to the RO for readjudication of the claim for an extraschedular evaluation for left ear hearing loss, in light of the Court's decision on the veteran's appeal.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and low back disability, but denied these claims as his submitted evidence was not sufficient to establish a well-grounded claim.

The veteran's appeal has been withdrawn before the Board could make a decision.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have a current diagnosis of left ear hearing loss or PTSD, and thus service connection for these conditions is denied. The dental disorder issue remains pending.

The VA has denied the appellant's claim for an increased evaluation for his service-connected bilateral hearing loss, as the current rating of 20% is deemed appropriate based on the audiometric results provided.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, as well as his attempts to reopen claims for secondary service connection for right shoulder and low back disorders. The evidence submitted since previous decisions was not considered new and material.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an earlier effective date of July 8, 1999, for a 10 percent evaluation based on multiple, noncompensable service-connected disabilities under 38 C.F.R. § 3.324.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, a nervous disorder to include depression, and compensable ratings for residuals of a scar of the left thumb and residuals of a fracture of the left ankle. The evidence did not establish that these conditions were incurred or aggravated by service.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that new and material evidence had not been submitted to reopen the claim.

The Board has determined that the veteran's current bilateral hearing loss, vertigo, and vestibular dysfunction are related to his service-connected shell fragment wound in the right ear. As such, the claim for secondary service connection is granted.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral myopic astigmatism and hearing loss, finding no evidence of acquired refractive error or noise-induced hearing loss during service.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for an initial evaluation in excess of 10 percent for a left eye disorder, service connection for blurred vision and facial paralysis, and service connection for bilateral hearing loss. The preponderance of the evidence is against these claims.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection and initial noncompensable ratings for his low back disorder, sinusitis, right ear hearing loss, sleep apnea, left wrist ganglion cyst, left shoulder disability, right knee disorder, and left ear hearing loss. The case is remanded to determine proper initial ratings.

The veteran's TDIU claim was granted effective March 9, 1999. However, the Board found that he did not meet the criteria for an earlier effective date due to his failure to demonstrate unemployability within a year prior to filing the claim.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss, both with noncompensable evaluations effective May 8, 1998. The claim for a compensable evaluation for tinnitus prior to July 10, 1999 is denied, as the evidence shows constant tinnitus on and after that date. The claim for an evaluation in excess of 10 percent for tinnitus on and after July 10, 1999 is also denied. The claim for a compensable evaluation for bilateral hearing loss remains pending.