Hearing loss decisions — 2005

The Board has determined that the veteran's current low back disorder and psychiatric disorder were not incurred in or aggravated by active service.,There is no evidence of any back injury during service, and the current condition was first manifested many years after service.

The RO denied the veteran's claim for a disability rating in excess of 10 percent for bilateral hearing loss. The case is being remanded to obtain an audiometric examination report from the VA Medical Center and to consider the evidence.

The Board has found no evidence of current disabilities related to service for bilateral sensorineural hearing loss, low back disorder, or bilateral knee disorder. The veteran's claims are therefore denied.

The veteran's bilateral hearing loss was rated at 30 percent disabling from April 11, 2002 to May 5, 2003.

The veteran's claims for service connection for a left knee disability, right foot disability, and headaches were denied. His claim for an initial compensable evaluation for his service-connected right ear hearing loss was also denied.

The Board has granted service connection for hearing loss of the right ear, but denied service connection for a low back disability.

The Board has granted service connection for right ear hearing loss. The issue of left ear hearing loss is remanded, and the issue of sinus disorder is also remanded.

The veteran's claims for effective dates prior to March 3, 2000, for the grant of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were denied as these claims represent the first claim following a final Board decision in July 1984.

The VA determined that the veteran's bilateral hearing loss did not warrant a rating higher than 10 percent since December 1985.

The veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to service. His hypertension is aggravated by his PTSD, but his heart condition is not related to his PTSD.

The Board has granted a 10% evaluation for bilateral hearing loss from October 22, 1997 to March 20, 2002.

The veteran's bilateral hearing loss is not productive of impairment that warrants a compensable evaluation under VA regulations, and therefore the claim for an increased rating is denied.

The Board found that the veteran's hearing loss and tinnitus were not incurred in or aggravated by active service, nor may they be presumed to have been so incurred.

The Board found that the September 2002 rating decision reducing the veteran's hearing loss rating from 100% to 20% was proper, and granted a 50% rating effective December 1, 2002.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for right ear hearing loss and tinnitus, as well as his attempt to reopen his claim for left ear hearing loss. The evidence did not show that he had current disabilities or a link between his military service and these conditions.

The veteran's appeal is remanded due to incomplete medical records and the need for VA examinations to determine the etiology of his hearing loss, tinnitus, and vertigo.

The Board has determined that the veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were not incurred in or aggravated by service, and therefore denied both claims.

The Board granted service connection for left shoulder impingement syndrome, increased the rating for Ramsey Hunt Syndrome with left eye blepharospasm to 20 percent, and denied an increase in Raynaud's phenomenon. The veteran's migraine headaches are rated as 50 percent disabling.

The Board found that the veteran's bilateral sensorineural hearing loss does not warrant a higher initial evaluation, as his current noncompensable rating is appropriate based on the April 2003 VA examination results.

The veteran's appeal for increased evaluations for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus has been withdrawn, resulting in the dismissal of the case.