Hearing loss decisions — 2006

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection due to a lack of new and material evidence. The RO previously determined that the veteran's pes planus, skin condition of the feet, and hearing loss disability were not aggravated by service.

The Board has determined that the veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss does not warrant an initial compensable evaluation.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for tinnitus, an increased rating for traumatic arthritis of the left knee, and a compensable disability rating for bilateral hearing loss. The effective date for the grant of service connection for traumatic arthritis of the left knee was set at February 12, 2000.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have arthritis, bilateral hearing loss, or tonsillitis due to service. The claims for these conditions are denied.

The Board has determined that there is no evidence of current hearing loss disability for VA purposes, and thus denied the veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral high frequency hearing loss, lower left leg disorder, and skin disorder (including as due to herbicide exposure). The case is being remanded for further development.

The Board of Veterans' Appeals (Board) denied the veteran's claims for increased evaluation, a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities, and special monthly compensation for aid and attendance/housebound status.,The veteran's service-connected conditions include left ankle fracture, deep vein thrombosis of the left leg, hypertension, tinnitus, abdominal aortic aneurysm (right iliac aneurysm, left iliac aneurysm), and bilateral hearing loss. The maximum schedular evaluation for his left ankle fracture is 20 percent.,The veteran's combined rating from all service-connected disabilities is 40 percent, which does not meet the percentage requirements for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, emphysema, and residuals of a fracture of the left thumb as there is no evidence showing these conditions were incurred or aggravated by military service.

The Board has remanded the claims due to the need for additional development and consideration of the veteran's evidence.

The Board found that the veteran's service-connected disabilities did not cause or contribute substantially to his death from COPD. The Board concluded that there was no evidence linking any of the veteran's service-connected conditions to his post-service dementia, which contributed to his death.

The veteran is seeking an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for bilateral hearing loss. The Board finds that the earliest assignable effective date is April 9, 2002, as this was the date of receipt of his reopened claim.

The veteran has withdrawn his appeal for an increased rating for pulmonary tuberculosis. The case is being dismissed as to this issue.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss as new and material evidence had not been received. The total rating by reason of individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities was also denied.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral tinnitus and an increased rating for bilateral hearing loss, finding that there was no causal link between his current disabilities and his military service.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are being remanded due to the need for a Travel Board hearing on his claim for tinnitus, as well as the issuance of a Statement of the Case.

The Board denied the veteran's claims of service connection for refractive error and hearing loss, finding that new and material evidence was not presented to reopen the claim for refractive error. The Board also found no current evidence of hearing loss in-service or a link between any current hearing loss and service.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and awarded him a 50 percent evaluation for PTSD. The veteran withdrew his appeal regarding the initial evaluation in excess of 50 percent for PTSD prior to the decision.

The Board denied the veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and PTSD. The Board found that there was no evidence linking these conditions to service.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the evidence is approximately evenly balanced as to whether these conditions are related to noise exposure during military service.

The veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss have been granted, but the effective date for tinnitus is set at August 27, 2002. The effective date for the 20% rating for bilateral hearing loss is set at February 2, 1979.