Hearing loss decisions — 2002

The Board has granted service connection for right ear hearing loss and assigned a 20% rating. The claim for a compensable evaluation for otitis media is denied.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen the veteran's claim for service connection for hearing loss, which was previously denied. The additional evidence suggests a possible link between the veteran's hearing loss and an explosion in service.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for an initial compensable disability evaluation for bilateral hearing loss and did not find new and material evidence to reopen his claims of service connection for bilateral pes planus and photophobia. The veteran was granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss, but the RO found no evidence that the veteran had bilateral pes planus or photophobia during service.

The Board has granted service connection for hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that these conditions are related to the veteran's active service. Service connection for arthritis of the right hip was denied as there is no evidence linking it to service or a service-connected condition.

The veteran's claims for a compensable rating for left ear hearing loss prior to February 22, 1996 and an initial compensable rating from that date for bilateral hearing loss have been granted.

The Board found that the veteran's hearing loss and tinnitus were not incurred in or aggravated by active military service, and thus denied her claims for these conditions.

The Board denied reopening the claim of service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that new and material evidence was not submitted.

The veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss was denied due to his failure to report for a VA examination without providing good cause.

The Board found no evidence linking the veteran's current bilateral hearing loss to his period of active service and denied his claim for service connection.

The VA denied a compensable initial rating for the veteran's bilateral hearing loss, as his average pure tone thresholds did not exceed levels contemplated for the currently assigned noncompensable rating.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claimed conditions, including hemorrhoids, tinnitus, left ear hearing loss, hypertension, and residuals of a left thumb fracture, were not incurred or aggravated by service. The evidence does not support a finding that any current disabilities are related to military service.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an earlier effective date of April 27, 2000 for the grant of service connection for tinnitus. The veteran argued that his September 1984 application should be construed as a claim for tinnitus, but the Board found no mention of ringing or buzzing in the ears, noise in his head, an ear problem, or something that could reasonably include tinnitus.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an increased evaluation of his service-connected bilateral hearing loss, currently rated at 10 percent.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claims for service connection for mastoiditis and tinnitus, finding new and material evidence. The VA examiner concluded that these conditions are related to service.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding new and material evidence. However, it was determined that his current hearing loss is not related to service and thus denied these claims. The claim for increased ratings for gunshot wound residuals of the left leg and right shoulder were also addressed.

The veteran's hearing loss corresponds to numeric designations no worse than Level I for each ear, and therefore does not warrant a compensable disability rating.

The VA denied an increased (compensable) rating for service-connected bilateral sensorineural hearing loss, as the evidence did not show more than Level III hearing impairment on the left and Level II on the right.

The VA denied the veteran's claim for compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 for right ear hearing loss, which he claimed was caused by a failure to diagnose meningitis at a VA outpatient clinic. The VA concluded that the hearing loss was not due to negligence or an unforeseen event and was likely the natural progression of his meningitis.

The Board denied service connection for hearing loss and granted a 20% rating for the appellant's low back disability, effective February 24, 2000.

The Board found that the veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were caused by acoustic trauma in service, resulting in a grant of service connection for both conditions.