Hearing loss decisions — 2006

The veteran seeks an effective date earlier than July 27, 2001 for the awards of service connection for hearing loss and tinnitus. However, there was no pending claim for these conditions prior to July 27, 2001, when he filed a claim for an increased rating for otitis media.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, hypertension, and coronary artery disease. The evidence does not support a finding of service connection for these conditions.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and asthma. The decision found that asthma did not preexist service or develop during service, while the hearing loss claim was denied due to lack of evidence linking it to service.

The veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss was denied in June 2002. The RO sent him a notice of the decision and his procedural rights, but he did not file a timely Notice of Disagreement (NOD) within one year as required by regulation.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD, hearing loss, and tinnitus as there is no evidence of in-service stressors or current disabilities related to service.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for heart condition/hypertension and impotence, as well as bilateral hearing loss and diabetes mellitus. The decision was based on a lack of evidence linking these conditions to his military service or any pre-existing disabilities.

The veteran's appeals for increased ratings were denied. The Board found no legal basis for the assignment of a schedular evaluation in excess of 10 percent for bilateral tinnitus, and denied compensable ratings for bilateral hearing loss prior to November 9, 2005, and from that date forward. A rating in excess of 30 percent for post-traumatic stress disorder was also denied.

The VA has determined that the veteran's bilateral hearing loss does not warrant a compensable evaluation, as his audiometric results consistently show Level I hearing in both ears.

The Board has determined that the veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss does not meet the criteria for a rating in excess of 10 percent.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that there is no medical evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that there was no evidence of a current disability related to service.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for hearing loss in the right ear, otitis media of the right ear, hemorrhoids, and a low back disability. The rating for the low back disability was maintained at 10 percent.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased rating for hearing loss, service connection for tinnitus, and a left ankle disorder. The claim to reopen his previously denied left foot disorder was also denied.

The Board has determined that there is no competent medical evidence linking the veteran's claimed conditions to his active service. The veteran was not granted service connection for PTSD, bilateral hearing loss, a vision condition, headaches, or a digestive condition.

The Board finds that the evidence is in equipoise, granting service connection for bilateral hearing loss.

The VA denied the veteran's claim for a compensable initial evaluation for hearing loss.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have right ear hearing loss or tinnitus attributable to service and therefore denied both claims.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been presented to reopen the veteran's claim for service connection for right ear hearing loss. The appeal is granted.

The Board finds that the veteran's current right ear hearing loss and tinnitus are causally related to his active service, including noise exposure during military service. As such, the appeal is granted for both conditions.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and an increased rating for PTSD. The evidence did not support a finding of in-service hearing loss or PTSD, and the current conditions are considered to be related to the natural progression of aging rather than military service.