Hearing loss decisions — 2005

The Board has determined that the veteran's service-connected bilateral sensorineural hearing loss does not warrant a compensable disability rating, as his average puretone thresholds do not meet the criteria for any higher evaluation under Diagnostic Code 6100.

The Board found that the veteran's left ear hearing loss was not incurred in or aggravated by active military service.

The Board has reopened the claims for service connection for pulmonary and skin disorders based on new evidence. The veteran's prostatitis is rated at 40 percent, and his bilateral hearing loss is rated at 20 percent.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claim of service connection for bilateral hearing loss due to new and material evidence submitted since the September 1960 RO decision. The case is now remanded for further development, including a VA examination.

The VA has assigned a 10 percent rating for the veteran's bilateral hearing loss from November 17, 2000 to December 17, 2003.

The Board has determined that the veteran's low back disorder, diagnosed as left pelvic subluxation with mechanical lower back pain, was incurred in or aggravated by military service. The issue of bilateral hearing loss disability is addressed in the REMAND portion and is being remanded to the RO.

The Board denied an increased evaluation for the veteran's service-connected residuals of a perforated right tympanic membrane with right ear hearing loss, finding that the evidence did not warrant a higher than noncompensable rating.

The Board found that the veteran's service-connected scarring of the left lower extremity did not meet the criteria for a compensable evaluation, as there was no indication of functional loss associated with the scars.

The veteran has withdrawn their appeal, so the case is dismissed.

The Board has granted service connection for hearing loss disability and found it was incurred in service. Tinnitus is not shown to be related to service.

The veteran's appeal has been dismissed due to his death.

The Board has determined that the veteran's right ear hearing loss and low back disability are both service-connected. The decision is based on evidence showing a history of noise exposure during service, which led to current hearing loss, and an injury in service resulting in current degenerative disc disease and degenerative joint disease of the lumbar spine.

The veteran's hearing loss was rated at 10% effective August 3, 2005. Prior to that date, the disability was not compensable.

The veteran's claims for initial compensable evaluation and earlier effective dates for service connection were denied.,The veteran was granted service connection for hearing loss disability and tinnitus, but the effective dates were not earlier than October 9, 2002.

The Board of Veterans' Appeals has determined that the veteran's right ear hearing loss is service-connected and rated at 100%.

The Board has determined that there is insufficient medical evidence to determine the current severity of the veteran's bilateral hearing loss and whether it is related to service. The case is being remanded for further development.

The Board found that the veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were not incurred in or aggravated by service, as there was no evidence of such conditions during service. The VA examiner concluded that it is not as likely as not that the veteran's hearing loss or tinnitus resulted from acoustic trauma during military service.

The veteran's left ear hearing loss is rated as noncompensable, with an average puretone threshold of 31 decibels and speech recognition of 100 percent.

The Board denied a compensable evaluation for the veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability prior to February 17, 2004.

The veteran's claims for service connection for hemorrhoids, PTSD, stomach condition, and right ear hearing loss were denied as there is no evidence of these conditions during or related to his active service.