Hearing loss decisions — 2002

The Board has granted service connection for hypertension and left ear hearing loss, finding that these conditions originated during the veteran's military service.

The Board denied a compensable rating for the appellant's bilateral sensorineural hearing loss, finding that his current level of disability did not warrant such a rating based on VA audiometric evaluations conducted in July 1996, October 1998, and May 2001.

The veteran's claims for service connection are denied as there is no current associated disability for the conditions claimed.

The Board has determined that the veteran is entitled to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability effective June 28, 1994, due to service-connected PTSD and other disabilities.

The VA denied a compensable evaluation for the veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss.

The Board denied increased ratings for the veteran's left foot disability and left ear hearing loss, as well as service connection for degenerative joint disease of the spine and right knee claimed as secondary to his left foot disability. The claim of service connection for a left ankle disability was also denied due to lack of new and material evidence.

The veteran's appeal has been dismissed as he withdrew his appeal prior to the Board making a decision.

The Board denied the veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for a skin disability of the feet and hands (claimed as jungle rot), bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and a compensable evaluation for malaria. The evidence did not support these claims.

The Board has determined that a compensable evaluation for bilateral hearing loss is not warranted from August 6, 1997 to March 27, 2000. A 10 percent evaluation is granted for the period from March 28, 2000.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral sensorineural hearing loss and tinnitus, attributing these conditions to the veteran's in-service exposure to acoustic trauma.

The veteran's bilateral hearing loss is granted as service-connected. Tinnitus and the residuals of influenza are denied.

The VA denied a higher rating for the veteran's right ear hearing loss, which was already rated at 10 percent.

The veteran's initial claim for an increased rating for bilateral hearing loss was granted, with a 10 percent rating effective from November 19, 1998, through April 21, 2002.,A subsequent increase in the rating to 20 percent was granted on April 22, 2002.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for a higher disability rating for his bilateral hearing loss, finding that the evidence did not support a rating in excess of the current 0 percent rating.

The Board has granted service connection for hearing loss in the right ear due to aggravation during active duty. Service connection was denied for hearing loss in the left ear and hepatitis, as there is no evidence of a current disability related to these conditions.

The VA denied a compensable rating for the veteran's bilateral hearing loss, which was manifested by current average pure tone thresholds of 41 decibels in the right ear and 50 decibels in the left ear.

The Board found that the veteran's hearing loss was not related to an in-service disease or injury and denied his claim for service connection.

The Board found that new and material evidence had been received to reopen the claim of entitlement to service connection for hearing loss, which was previously denied. The veteran's bilateral hearing loss is related to exposure to acoustic trauma during his military service.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased evaluations for hearing loss, sinusitis, and AV block. The initial evaluation for left ear hearing loss was not granted as compensable, while the initial evaluation for sinusitis was granted at 10 percent but no higher. The initial evaluation for AV block was also granted at noncompensable level.

The Board has determined that the veteran's bilateral hearing loss is a disability for VA compensation purposes and was incurred in service.