Hearing loss decisions — 2006

The Board found that the veteran's current bilateral hearing loss is not related to his military service and denied his claim for service connection.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that his current hearing loss did not manifest to a compensable degree within one year of discharge and could not be presumed to have been incurred in service.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have a current hearing loss for VA compensation purposes and therefore, service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied.

The Board has determined that the veteran's bilateral hearing loss does not warrant a higher rating for any period of time.

The VA determined that the veteran's bilateral hearing loss warranted a 10 percent rating effective September 14, 2005. The initial claim for a higher rating prior to this date was denied.

The veteran's claim for an increased rating for bilateral hearing loss prior to April 2, 2004 was denied.,A 40 percent evaluation for bilateral hearing loss effective April 2, 2004 was assigned. The veteran continues to disagree with the assigned rating.,The veteran's claims for separate evaluations for tinnitus in each ear were not addressed as they are not part of the appeal.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection for residuals of a compression fracture of the lumbar spine, with degenerative changes. The other claims remain denied as new and material evidence was not provided to support these claims.

The veteran's service-connected atherosclerotic coronary artery disease with hypertension and nephritis was granted at 60 percent effective June 3, 2002. The evaluation was increased to 100 percent effective August 14, 2003 for the period from June 3, 2002 until August 14, 2003.

The Board found that new and material evidence had been submitted to reopen the claim for service connection of hearing loss. However, it was determined that the veteran's current hearing loss did not meet the threshold levels defined by VA regulation for a hearing impairment. The decision is mixed as some issues were granted while others were denied.

The Board has determined that the veteran's bilateral hearing loss does not warrant a compensable evaluation, as it is manifested by auditory acuity level II in each ear. The claim for an initial compensable evaluation for bilateral hearing loss is denied.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete medical records and the need for further examinations to determine the nature, extent, and etiology of any current disabilities.

The Board has determined that the veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were not incurred or aggravated during service, nor can they be presumed to have been incurred therein. The evidence does not support a finding of service connection for these conditions.

The veteran's appeal is remanded due to changes in his symptoms and the need for a new VA examination. The issues include determining if tinnitus and disequilibrium are associated with his service-connected hearing loss.

The Board has determined that the veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss does not warrant a compensable rating, as his hearing impairment does not meet the criteria for any higher evaluation under VA's Schedule for Rating Disabilities.

The Board has determined that the veteran's hearing loss is not attributable to his military service and denied his claim for service connection.

The veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability was rated as 10 percent for the time period from January 7, 2002 to the present. The Board found that the severity of his service-connected hearing loss disability residuals more nearly approximated the 10 percent rating currently assigned.

The veteran's claims for an increased evaluation for post-traumatic stress disorder and a total disability rating based on individual unemployability are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and development of records.

The Board has determined that the veteran's current hearing loss and tinnitus were not incurred in or aggravated by his military service, but granted service connection for bilateral tinnitus based on noise exposure during service.

The Board has determined that the veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss warrants a rating of 40 percent, which is the maximum available under VA regulations. The claim for a higher rating is denied.

The Board found that the veteran's current hearing loss is not causally related to his military service or any incident therein, and thus denied his claim for service connection.