Hearing loss decisions — 2004

The Board denied earlier effective dates for increased ratings and service connection for various conditions, including seizure disorder, sinusitis, and bilateral hearing loss. The veteran argued that these decisions were incorrect due to CUE.

The Board denied the veteran's petitions to reopen his claims for service connection for headaches, a back disorder, and bilateral hearing loss. The appeals were not successful.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for further assistance to verify his service stressors and determine if he has PTSD related to documented in-service events.

The Board granted service connection for PTSD and assigned a 100% evaluation effective from April 2000. The veteran withdrew his appeals concerning the other issues on appeal.

The Board has determined that the veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability and tinnitus are related to his military service, with noise exposure being a significant factor.

The Board has granted a 70 percent evaluation for PTSD, effective from February 2002. The veteran's tinnitus is rated at 10 percent since January 1994. His left ear hearing loss is rated at zero percent since July 1971. The residuals of the mortar fragment wound to the left forearm are also rated at zero percent.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension, prostatic disability, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus. The veteran did not meet the criteria for presumptive service connection due to exposure to certain hazards or diseases.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension and an ear disorder (claimed as hearing loss) because there was no evidence that these conditions were caused or aggravated by his service-connected PTSD.

The Board has determined that the veteran's bilateral hearing loss was neither incurred in nor aggravated by his period of active, honorable military service and cannot be presumed to have been incurred therein.

The Board denied an increased evaluation for the veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss disability, finding that the evidence did not support a higher rating.

The Board found that the veteran's right ear hearing loss is not related to his active service, but left ear hearing loss is related to his military service. Therefore, only left ear hearing loss was granted service connection.

The Board has granted service connection for peripheral neuropathy of hands and feet, finding it likely related to exposure to cold during military service. The other claims remain pending.

The veteran is seeking service connection for right ear hearing loss, which the RO denied. The case is being remanded to obtain additional evidence and conduct a VA examination.

The Board denied the veteran's claim of entitlement to a disability rating in excess of zero percent for hearing loss in the right ear, finding that his service-connected hearing loss did not warrant such an increase.

The veteran's claim for service connection for right ear hearing loss is being remanded due to the need for a Board hearing.

The veteran's hearing loss was rated at 20 percent, the maximum rating available for his condition. The Board found that his current hearing test results did not warrant a higher evaluation.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral pes planus, hearing loss disability, and residuals of perforated eardrums. The evidence did not support a finding that these conditions were incurred or aggravated by military service.

The Board denied a compensable evaluation for service-connected bilateral hearing loss, finding that the veteran's most recent audiometric tests placed his right ear in Level I and left ear in Level II, resulting in a zero percent (noncompensable) rating.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection and compensable evaluations for left ear hearing loss, left ear otitis media status post mastoidectomy, and deviated nasal septum with facial disfigurement.

The veteran's appeal was denied for service connection for hearing loss and increased evaluations for residuals of frozen feet and frostbite. The RO granted separate ratings of 20 percent for each foot, but the veteran disagreed with the entire decision.