Hearing loss decisions — 2003

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a right knee disability and did not reopen his previously denied claims for hearing loss, tinnitus, and residuals of a fractured jaw.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to procedural issues and potential VCAA compliance.

The Board has denied the veteran's claim for an effective date earlier than December 15, 2008, for the grant of service connection for bilateral sensorineural hearing loss. The decision is based on the finality of prior rating actions and the lack of new and material evidence to reopen the claim.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have a current hearing loss disability, right ear, for VA compensation purposes and therefore denied his claim for service connection.

The Board granted the veteran's application to reopen his previously denied claims for service connection for hearing loss, low back disability, otitis externa, pharyngitis, and residuals of a closed head injury.

The Board found new and material evidence to reopen the claims for bilateral hearing loss and a psychiatric disorder, but denied reopening of the claim for service connection for a back disability.,Service connection was granted for bilateral hearing loss as it is presumed incurred due to military service. The psychiatric disorders are secondary to the service-connected hearing loss.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for VCAA notification and a Board hearing. The issues of rating excessively for low back strain and entitlement to a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss are pending.

The Board denied the veteran's request for a compensable rating for defective hearing in both ears, finding that his hearing loss did not meet the criteria for a compensable evaluation under VA's disability rating schedule.

The Board of Veterans' Appeals has determined that the veteran's bilateral hearing loss is service-connected, with the cause being noise exposure and acoustic trauma during military service.

The VA determined that the veteran's left ear hearing loss does not warrant a compensable rating under either the old or new rating criteria.

The veteran's claim for an increased rating for hearing loss in the right ear is being remanded due to additional development required by the Veterans Court.

The Board found that the veteran's preexisting hearing loss in his right ear was aggravated by service, and that his left ear hearing loss was incurred during service. Service connection for bilateral hearing loss is granted.

The Board has determined that the veteran's current bilateral hearing loss is related to his service, and therefore grants service connection for this condition.

The Board denied the appellant's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and left otitis media, finding no new and material evidence to reopen these previously denied claims.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete development and needs further action before a final decision can be made.

The Board denied the veteran's requests to reopen his previously denied service connection claims for hearing loss and tinnitus, as well as his claim of entitlement to service connection for a jaw disorder. The Board found that new evidence did not meet the criteria for reopening these claims.

The Board found that the veteran's currently diagnosed bilateral hearing loss is not related to any acoustic trauma he was exposed to during service, and thus denied his claim for service connection.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for hearing loss and vision loss, finding no current disability from these conditions attributable to his military service.

The veteran's death was not service-connected, and the claim for DIC benefits under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1318 was denied as he did not meet the statutory requirements of having been rated totally disabled for a period of at least ten years immediately preceding his death.

The Board of Veterans' Appeals has denied the veteran's claim for service connection for hearing loss, finding that it is less likely than not related to his active military service.