Hearing loss decisions — 2002

The Board found that the veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus did not begin during or as a result of his service, and thus denied the claim for service connection.

The Board has determined that the veteran's left ear hearing loss does not meet the criteria for a compensable evaluation, as his average pure tone thresholds are within normal limits and he has no significant impairment in speech recognition. The most severe findings have been level I hearing, which corresponds to a zero percent evaluation.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for fungus infection of the ears, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus. The claim for residuals of injuries sustained in a fall is still pending as the RO failed to provide an SOC.

The Board denied an evaluation in excess of 30 percent for bilateral hearing loss and found that no new and material evidence had been submitted to reopen the claim of service connection for cervical spine arthritis with cervical disc herniation and lumbar degenerative arthritis.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and a sinus condition, finding that the veteran's current conditions were not related to his military service or any service-connected disability.

The Board has determined that the veteran's tinnitus, right knee disability, and bilateral hearing loss are service-connected. The veteran is granted increased ratings for his service-connected disabilities.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for right ear hearing loss, finding that he did not have a current disability for VA purposes and thus could not establish entitlement to service connection.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for asbestosis, hypertension, and bilateral hearing loss due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for tinnitus and to reopen his claim for service connection for hearing loss, finding that there was no evidence of a nexus between current disabilities and military service.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, residuals of cold injury, arteriosclerotic heart disease, and a pulmonary disability due to lack of competent medical evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The veteran's claims for service connection for head injury with headaches, blepharoconjunctivitis, prostatitis and epididymitis, and left ear otitis media were denied. The claim for service connection for osteoarthritis of the cervical spine was granted.

The Board found that the veteran's hearing loss did not meet the criteria for a compensable rating, thus denying his claim.

The veteran's claim for an increased evaluation and earlier effective date for a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss was granted. The current evaluation is 20 percent, effective April 20, 1999.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for restoration of service connection for left ear hearing loss, increased evaluation for right ear hearing loss, propriety of initial 30% evaluation for right hand weakness, evaluation for right knee hyperextension with instability and arthralgia, and increased rating for right leg incoordination (femoral nerve paralysis). The veteran's claims were not granted as the evidence did not support these claims.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded to the RO for scheduling a hearing before a member of the Board. The claims for service connection and rating will be further reviewed after the hearing.

The Board found that the initial noncompensable rating for left ear hearing loss was proper and did not meet criteria for a compensable evaluation from the date of service connection.

The Board has granted service connection for left ear hearing loss and determined a noncompensable initial rating for atrophy of the right testicle with groin pain. The veteran's postoperative scars, residuals of bilateral subcutaneous mastectomies due to fibroadenoma, are rated as noncompensably disabling.

The Board found that the veteran's bilateral hearing loss did not warrant a rating in excess of 10 percent, as his audiometric results did not meet the criteria for higher levels of hearing impairment.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a back disorder and hearing loss, finding no new and material evidence to reopen these previously denied claims.

The Board denied the veteran's claims of service connection for tinnitus, bilateral sensorineural hearing loss, and herpes simplex due to a lack of competent medical evidence linking these conditions to his military service.