Hearing loss decisions — 2002

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus effective from July 8, 1998. The veteran's current evaluation is 20 percent.

The veteran's service-connected disabilities do not preclude him from securing and maintaining substantially gainful employment, as he has other unrelated physical ailments that have prevented him from working.

The Board has determined that the veteran's bilateral hearing loss was not incurred or aggravated by service, and specifically denied service connection based on lack of evidence linking his current condition to his military service.

The Board has determined that the veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss does not warrant a rating higher than 10 percent, as his hearing impairment is currently rated at Level II in the right ear and Level V in the left ear. The claim for a higher rating is denied.

The Board denied the veteran's claims of service connection for right ear hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that new and material evidence had not been submitted to reopen his claim for right ear hearing loss.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an effective date prior to March 28, 2001 for grants of service connection for right shoulder disability, hearing loss, left ear, and tinnitus. The decision is based on the statutory provision that requires VA to assign an effective date no earlier than the day following a veteran's discharge or release from active service.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an evaluation in excess of 40 percent for bilateral hearing loss on an extraschedular basis, concluding that there was no evidence to support such a rating due to marked interference with employment or frequent periods of hospitalization.

The Board has determined that the veteran's current bilateral hearing loss is not related to his service, and thus denied his claim for service connection.

The Board has granted service connection for right ear hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the veteran's conditions are related to noise exposure during service.

The veteran's service-connected bilateral sensorineural hearing loss is linked to his current tinnitus, and the Board has granted service connection for tinnitus.

The Board finds that the veteran's right ear hearing loss and tinnitus are related to exposure to acoustic trauma during service, and grants service connection for these conditions.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded to the RO for scheduling a personal hearing before a member of the Board at the RO. The issues of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and special monthly pension are not yet resolved.

The Board has determined that the veteran's low back disability, bilateral hearing loss, and fungal infection of hands and feet are all related to his active duty service.

The veteran's service connection claims for bilateral hearing loss, left hip disability, left leg disability, back disability, nicotine dependence, and prostate cancer as due to nicotine dependence or asbestos exposure are all denied. The claim for a total rating based on unemployability due to service-connected disability is also denied.

The veteran's claims for service connection for hearing loss, dermatitis, and increased evaluations for PTSD, traumatic arthritis of the left elbow with retained metallic fragments, and gunshot wound to the right posterior thigh were all denied. The Board found that there was no evidence linking these conditions to service.

The Board has granted a 10 percent evaluation for the appellant's bilateral hearing loss disability, which was previously rated as noncompensable. The current rating criteria do not allow for an evaluation in excess of 10 percent.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to new and material evidence. With resolution of reasonable doubt, the Board finds that these conditions are related to the veteran's period of active service.

The Board has granted a 10% rating for bilateral hearing loss effective June 10, 1999.

The VA determined that the veteran's bilateral hearing loss does not warrant a compensable evaluation.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not meet the criteria for hearing disability as defined by VA, and therefore service connection for right ear hearing loss is denied.