Hearing loss decisions — 2004

The Board has granted a 30 percent evaluation for the veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss, effective from October 24, 2002. The veteran's tinnitus is already rated at its maximum schedular rating of 10 percent.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for residuals of trenchfeet, low back injury, and bilateral hearing loss. The veteran did not have a diagnosed condition related to these issues during or after his military service.

The Board found no evidence of a nexus between the veteran's current hearing loss disability and service, thus denying his claim for service connection.

The Board denied the veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for a psychiatric disorder (to include PTSD) and an initial compensable evaluation for bilateral hearing loss.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that it is at least as likely as not caused by an in-service explosion. However, the claim for service connection for eye disability (including cataracts and a detached retina) was denied due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to service.,The veteran's current vision problems are believed to have developed many years after his military service.

The Board found no clear and unmistakable error in the November 1988 rating decision denying service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, as the correct facts were known at that time and the statutory and regulatory provisions were correctly applied.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for a new VA examination of his bilateral high frequency hearing loss.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and determined that new evidence submitted since the previous denial supports this claim. However, it was not established that his hearing loss was incurred or aggravated by military service.

The veteran's prostate disorder, glaucoma and cataracts (blindness), and hearing loss are all found to be related to service. The RO granted the veteran a full-dollar rating for his PTSD and awarded DEA benefits to his children.

The Board has determined that further development of the evidence is required before deciding the claims at issue, including obtaining VA medical records and conducting additional examinations to assess the veteran's duodenal ulcer, bilateral hearing loss, and nervous disorder.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for an increased disability rating for right ear hearing loss and denied her petition to reopen a previously denied claim for service connection for sinusitis. The RO assigned a 10% disability evaluation for right ear hearing loss, but did not address the underlying issue of service connection for sinusitis.

The Board has determined that the veteran's current bilateral hearing loss is service-connected, but his left ankle disability is not. The decision denies both claims.

The veteran's increased rating for bilateral hearing loss from 0 percent to 10 percent is granted, as his current hearing acuity does not warrant a higher evaluation.

The Board denied service connection for hearing loss, left knee degenerative arthrosis, and hallux rigidus with degenerative joint disease of the first metatarsal joint of the left great toe. The veteran's left knee condition was found to be unrelated to his service-connected disabilities.

The veteran's claims for service connection for residuals of a right thumb injury, bilateral hearing loss, and low back disability are not established. The claim for service connection for right wrist disability is pending.,Pending issues include the establishment of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and COPD.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for residuals of cervical discectomy with radiculopathy of the upper right extremity, bilateral hearing loss, and tremors of the lower extremities. The decision found that new evidence did not raise a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claim for cervical spine disability, and that there was no current evidence linking the veteran's hearing loss or tremors to service.

The Board has determined that the VA did not properly advise the veteran of the VCAA and there are other reasons for remanding the case, including a need for a thorough VA examination to determine the severity of the service-connected left ear hearing loss.

The Board has determined that the veteran's enlarged liver, vocal cord disability, hearing loss, tinnitus, headaches, and vision loss were not incurred or aggravated by active military service, nor may they be presumed to have been so incurred due to exposure to Agent Orange. The claim for service connection is therefore denied.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development due to procedural defects in the notification provided under the VCAA.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for bleeding of the left ear and increased evaluations for left ear hearing loss, as well as his initial evaluation for PTSD prior to July 18, 2001. The claim for an increased evaluation for PTSD after July 18, 2001 was also denied.