Hearing loss decisions — 2003

The Board has ordered further development due to the need for an audiological examination to determine if the veteran's right ear hearing loss is related to his military service, including claimed noise exposure as a musician with the Navy band in service.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the veteran's current hearing loss disability is related to his in-service noise exposure. The claim for reopening of the hearing loss claim was also granted.

The veteran's disabilities are evaluated as follows: severe saphenous vein insufficiency, severe peripheral vascular insufficiency, history of superficial vein thrombosis and nocturnal leg cramps, left lower extremity; severe peripheral vascular insufficiency, popliteal, history of thrombophlebitis, nocturnal leg cramps, right lower extremity. The combined evaluation is 40 percent. The veteran does not have a single disability rated at 100 percent and the evidence does not show that he is substantially confined to his dwelling or immediate premises.

The case is being remanded for further development of the veteran's claims, including obtaining medical records and conducting examinations to determine the nature and etiology of his peripheral neuropathy and bilateral hearing loss.

The veteran's service-connected disabilities, including myocardial infarction and lower dorsal spine injury, render him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment. His TDIU claim is granted.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for a bilateral leg condition, to include arthritis of the knees, and hearing loss.

The Board has determined that the veteran's bilateral hearing loss is related to his military service, specifically to noise exposure during combat in World War II. As a result, the claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is granted.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have hearing loss attributable to military service or any incident of active duty, and therefore denied his claim for service connection.

The Board found no evidence of active malaria, inactive scars on the left lateral thigh and leg, or bilateral hearing loss warranting a compensable evaluation.

The Board has determined that the veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability does not warrant a compensable evaluation, and his tinnitus is rated at 10 percent. The appeal for increased ratings remains pending.

The Board granted an initial disability rating of 30 percent for PTSD and denied a compensable evaluation for bilateral hearing loss.

The Board has determined that the veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are of service origin, granting his claims for these conditions.

The VA determined that the veteran's diagnosed bilateral hearing loss was not incurred in or as a result of his active service, and denied his claim for service connection.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an initial compensable disability rating for bilateral sensorineural hearing loss, finding that his most recent audiometric test results corresponded to numeric designations no worse than Level I for each ear.

The Board found that new and material evidence had not been submitted to reopen the claim of entitlement to service connection for hearing loss. The RO denied the veteran's claim based on the finding that his hearing loss did not pre-exist service or was aggravated by military service.

The Board has remanded the veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to potential service connection issues, requiring further examination and review of medical records.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an increased rating for his bilateral hearing loss disability, finding that it did not warrant a higher evaluation based on the current evidence of record.

The Board has denied service connection for hearing loss in the right ear, psychiatric disability including PTSD, and residuals of cold injury to the feet. The claim for hearing loss in the left ear was not reopened due to lack of new and material evidence.

The Board has ordered further development due to pending issues regarding service connection for various ear and hearing conditions. The case is now remanded for additional examinations and analysis.

The veteran's chest pain claim was dismissed due to withdrawal. The Board found that the veteran's current hearing loss of the right ear is related to his military service and granted service connection for this condition.