Hearing loss decisions — 2005

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development of his claims, including obtaining medical records and conducting examinations to determine the onset of his current hearing loss, lung disease, heart disease, and tinnitus.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for an increased evaluation for bilateral hearing loss, secondary service connection for a headache disorder, and secondary service connection for residuals of a left hand injury. The decision found that there was no evidence linking the current left hand condition to his service-connected hearing loss.

The Board denied the veteran's request to reopen his claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that no new and material evidence had been received.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for hearing loss and PTSD, finding that there was no evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claim for service connection for irritable bowel syndrome but denied the claims for all other conditions due to lack of evidence meeting the criteria for service connection.

The Board denied a higher rating for the veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss, finding that his auditory acuity level was I in both ears and warranting a noncompensable (0 percent) rating.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus and found that the veteran's bilateral hearing loss warrants a noncompensable evaluation.

The VA denied an increased disability rating for bilateral hearing loss as the veteran's current level of hearing acuity does not meet the criteria for a compensable evaluation.

The veteran's claim for an increased disability rating for bilateral hearing loss is being remanded due to the need for additional development and notification under the VCAA.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability and PTSD. The veteran's claim of service connection for bilateral hearing loss was reopened, but the evidence did not support a grant of service connection.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and increased ratings for calluses of his feet due to a lack of evidence linking these conditions to service.

The veteran's claim for a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss was denied as the audiometric results did not meet the criteria for any higher rating under VA's Rating Schedule.

The Board has determined that the veteran's bilateral hearing loss does not warrant an evaluation in excess of 10 percent.

The veteran's claims for initial disability ratings for bilateral hearing loss, recurrent tinnitus, and left otitis media were denied. The RO assigned a ten percent rating for the service-connected tinnitus but did not assign separate ratings for each ear as requested.

The Board has granted a 40 percent evaluation for the veteran's service-connected left ear hearing loss disability.

The VA denied an initial compensable rating for the veteran's left ear hearing loss, finding that his current level of disability does not warrant a higher evaluation.

The Board has granted service connection for hearing loss of the left ear and assigned a 10% rating for gout of the left foot. The veteran's increased evaluation claim for hearing loss is denied.

The Board has granted an effective date of October 1, 2000 for the award of additional compensation benefits for a dependent spouse. The veteran's older son is recognized as his dependent child from October 1, 1978 until he turned 18 or completed education at age 23, while recognition of the younger son as a dependent child was denied.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has not been submitted to reopen the veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss. The issue of entitlement to service connection for tinnitus is addressed in the REMAND portion.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims of service connection for degenerative joint disease of the knees and bilateral hearing loss, finding that there is no evidence to support these claims.