Hearing loss decisions — 2006

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

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and diabetes mellitus and its complications including peripheral neuropathy and diabetic retinopathy. The evidence does not support a finding of service origin or continuity of symptomatology.

The Board found that the veteran's claims for service connection and compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 were not supported by the evidence of record, resulting in a denial.

The Board has determined that the veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss does not warrant a compensable disability rating, as his hearing acuity remained essentially unchanged during the appeal period.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that these conditions are related to the veteran's military service.

The veteran's claims for service connection were denied, with the exception of his claim for PTSD. The skin disability was not found to be related to Agent Orange exposure and thus denied. The gastrointestinal condition also did not meet the criteria for service connection. The veteran's PTSD was granted but rated at 10 percent.

The Board denied the claim for service connection for cause of death, finding that neither a service-connected disability nor alcohol abuse was the principal or contributory cause of the veteran's death.

The Board denied a higher (compensable) initial disability rating for sinusitis and denied service connection for hearing loss. The veteran's sinusitis was rated as noncompensable, while his hearing loss claim is remanded to the RO.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a chronic acquired psychiatric disorder and left ear hearing loss, but granted service connection for left ear hearing loss. The claim for increased ratings for ureterolithiasis and right ear hearing loss is remanded.

The Board has determined that the veteran's hearing loss was not incurred or aggravated in service, and thus denied his claim for service connection.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded to the RO for scheduling a videoconference hearing. The issues of severance of service connection for left ear hearing loss and entitlement to service connection for right hand carpal tunnel syndrome are pending.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and an increased rating for anxiety reaction with headaches, post traumatic. The separate 30 percent evaluation for headaches on the basis of CUE in an October 1979 rating is being remanded to the RO.

The Board has determined that there is no competent medical evidence showing a current bilateral hearing loss disability was incurred in or aggravated by service. Therefore, the claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied.

The veteran's bilateral hearing loss, at its worst, results in an average puretone threshold of 40 decibels and speech discrimination ability of 84 percent in the right ear, and an average puretone threshold of 53 decibels and speech discrimination ability of 88 percent in the left ear. The Board finds that this does not meet the criteria for a compensable evaluation.

The VA has determined that your initial compensable rating for service-connected mixed hearing loss in the right ear is denied. Your current hearing acuity does not meet the criteria for a compensable evaluation.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including a new hearing before the Board of Veterans' Appeals.

The Board has determined that the veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss does not warrant a compensable rating under the schedular criteria and finds no exceptional or unusual circumstances to support an extra-schedular evaluation.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an increased rating for his service-connected bilateral hearing loss, finding that the evidence did not meet the criteria for a compensable rating.

The VA has denied the veteran's claim for an initial compensable evaluation for service-connected bilateral hearing loss as his current hearing acuity does not meet the criteria for a compensable rating under VA regulations.

The Board found no evidence of a chronic lumbosacral spine disability or hearing loss in service, and the veteran's assertions regarding such were not supported by medical records. The Board denied all claims for service connection.