Hearing loss decisions — 2002

The veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, respiratory disease, right inguinal hernia, and skin condition have all been denied. Service connection was granted for the residuals of a pre-existing right inguinal hernia repair.

The Board has determined that the veteran's currently diagnosed bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are not related to his military service, and thus denied both claims for service connection.

The VA denied the claim that the veteran's service-connected conditions contributed to his death. The Board found no evidence linking any of the veteran's service-connected disabilities, including his hearing loss and tinnitus, to his death.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have a service-connected bilateral hearing loss disability and denied an increased evaluation for his right thigh shrapnel fragment wound residuals. The claim for reopening of the hearing loss issue is granted.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for hearing loss of the left ear and an increased rating for hearing loss in the right ear. The decision also notes that the veteran did not submit new and material evidence to reopen his previously denied claim for hearing loss of the left ear.

The Board has determined that the veteran did not meet the criteria for service connection for PTSD, left ear hearing loss, or bilateral pes planus due to direct service incurrence and no evidence of a nexus between these conditions and his military service.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for an earlier effective date for service connection for hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the earliest communication of record was in August 1997.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, shortening of the lower extremity, arthritis of the thoracic spine (claimed as secondary to a service-connected shell fragment wound), and degenerative changes of the knees bilaterally (also claimed as secondary to a service-connected shell fragment wound). The decision found that there was no evidence linking these conditions to service or any in-service noise exposure.

The veteran's appeal for increased ratings and new rating determinations on tinnitus, bilateral hearing loss, and bilateral otitis media was dismissed due to the absence of a timely Substantive Appeal.

The Board found that the veteran's hearing loss and tinnitus are not related to his military service, including exposure to noise. The claims for service connection were denied.

The Board finds that the veteran's hearing loss in the right ear did not pre-exist service and was not aggravated by service. Therefore, service connection for this condition is denied.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have right ear hearing loss disability for service connection purposes, as his auditory thresholds do not meet the criteria for a disability under VA regulations.

The Board found that the veteran's bilateral hearing loss existed prior to his first period of service and was not aggravated by either period of active service, thus denying the claim.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for tinnitus and an increased rating for his bilateral hearing loss, finding that the evidence did not support a higher rating than 90 percent.

The Board granted a 10 percent disability evaluation for bilateral hearing loss effective May 17, 2001. The veteran's claim for an increased rating for tinnitus was also addressed and the RO continued the current 10 percent evaluation.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for hearing loss and the residuals of heat exhaustion as there is no medical evidence showing these conditions.

The Board of Veterans' Appeals (BVA) has denied the veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that there is no evidence showing the condition had its onset in service or is otherwise related to service.

The veteran's service connection claim for bilateral hearing loss is granted as his current hearing loss disability is related to in-service noise exposure.

The Board has determined that the veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss does not warrant a compensable initial disability evaluation.

The Board found that the veteran's bilateral hearing loss was not incurred or aggravated by active service and denied his claim for service connection.