Hearing loss decisions — 2003

The Board has determined that service connection is not warranted for right ear hearing loss, residuals of fragment wounds to the right index finger and left neck due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to service.

The Board has determined that the veteran's bilateral hearing loss is service-connected, as it was incurred during his active military service.

The veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are found to be related to his military service, resulting in a grant of service connection.

The Board has denied the veteran's claim for service connection for left ear hearing loss as there is no evidence of a current disability.

The Board has determined that the veteran's current bilateral hearing loss is likely related to his noise exposure during military service, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has determined that the veteran's currently manifested bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to his noise exposure during his military service, leading to a grant of service connection for both conditions.

The veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied. The Board found that no informal claim was submitted prior to December 28, 1993.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD, bilateral hearing loss, bilateral tinnitus, and emphysema. The claim for a permanent and total disability rating for non-service-connected pension purposes was not adjudicated.

The veteran's death was not caused by his own willful misconduct, but he did not meet the criteria for DIC benefits under section 1318 as he was not rated totally disabled for a continuous period of at least 10 years prior to his death.

The veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss was denied as there is no evidence of a current disability or its onset during service.

The Board has remanded the case to the RO for clarification of the veteran's hearing request and scheduling an appropriate hearing.

The Board has determined that the veteran's left ear hearing loss is service-connected, but his PTSD claim cannot be granted as there is no verified in-service stressor. The right ear hearing loss claim was denied due to lack of new and material evidence.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have a current hearing loss disability of either ear, and thus service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen the veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss. The claim is therefore granted.

The veteran withdrew his appeals for service connection for hearing loss and myopia (claimed as worsening vision). As a result, the issues are dismissed without prejudice.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claimed bilateral ear disability, including hearing loss and Meniere's disease, were not incurred in or aggravated by active military service.

The veteran's hearing loss was evaluated as 20 percent effective June 21, 2000. Prior to that date, the evaluation remained non-compensable.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for a higher initial disability rating for his service-connected bilateral hearing loss, finding that the schedular criteria did not meet the requirements for an increased evaluation.

The VA has granted a 20 percent rating for the veteran's bilateral hearing loss, effective February 28, 2001. The current evaluation is based on the literal designations of level III hearing for both ears.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a left ear hearing loss and residuals of a ruptured left ear drum, finding no evidence linking these conditions to his military service.