Hearing loss decisions — 2007

The veteran's initial claims for increased ratings for bilateral and left ear hearing loss have been denied. The RO has granted service connection but not assigned any compensable evaluations.

The veteran's initial claim for a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss was granted, but the effective date of his tinnitus service connection is denied as it cannot be earlier than April 3, 2003.

The Board has determined that the veteran's service-connected PTSD contributed substantially and materially to his death from congestive heart failure, granting the claim for service connection for the cause of the veteran's death.

The veteran's hearing loss in both ears has been rated as noncompensable due to the lack of occupational impairment, despite a decrease in hearing acuity. The VA schedule of ratings is applied and no extraschedular rating is warranted.

The Board denied service connection for right ear hearing loss and a compensable rating for left ear hearing loss, finding that the current hearing loss did not meet the criteria for disability due to noise exposure in service.

The veteran's claim for TDIU was granted effective February 20, 2003, based on his service-connected disabilities.

The Board finds that the veteran's hearing loss and tinnitus do not warrant a higher rating under VA regulations.

The veteran's bilateral hearing loss is currently rated at Level II in the right ear and Level III in the left ear, which does not meet the criteria for a compensable rating.,The veteran's general anxiety disorder is currently rated at 30 percent. The medical evidence shows that despite his condition, he functions relatively well with a GAF score of 70.

The Board found that the veteran's left ear hearing loss did not warrant a compensable evaluation, as it was only at Level I on the audiometric evaluations.

The Board has remanded the case for further development due to unclear disagreement and a grant of earlier effective dates for benefits.

The veteran's claims for an earlier effective date for the award of a total rating based upon individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities and eligibility for Dependents' Educational Assistance were granted, effective January 7, 2002.

The veteran's lumbosacral strain and bilateral hearing loss disabilities were not rated higher than the current noncompensable evaluations.,Service connection for blurred vision was denied, as it is unrelated to service-connected disease or injury. Service connection for heart disease was also denied.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection for residuals of prostate cancer due to new and material evidence. However, further development is needed before these claims can be decided on their merits.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims to reopen his service connection for hearing loss and tinnitus due to lack of new and material evidence.

The Board denied an increased evaluation for bilateral hearing loss, finding that the evidence did not support a higher rating based on current audiometric findings.

The veteran's prostate cancer, right eye injury residuals, and hearing loss were not found to be related to service or exposure to ionizing radiation.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and granted it, finding that new evidence supports a link between the veteran's current hearing loss and his military service.

The Board found that the veteran's right ear hearing loss was not aggravated by active duty service and denied his claim for service connection.

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

The Board has determined that the veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss warrants a 40 percent disability rating, effective from September 2006.