Hearing loss decisions — 2007

The Board has determined that the reduction of the disability rating for bilateral hearing loss from 50% to 30% is proper.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have a current disability of bilateral hearing loss for which service connection can be granted.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for right ear hearing loss disability, Alzheimer's disease, and chronic prostatitis and benign prostatic hypertrophy. The decision also noted that new evidence had not been submitted to reopen the claim for right ear hearing loss.

The veteran's hearing loss is found to be caused by noise exposure during service, and the Board grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has determined that the veteran's PTSD warrants a 70 percent rating, effective September 29, 1999.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings for chronic suppurative otitis media, tinnitus, and bilateral hearing loss have been denied as there is no legal basis to assign a schedular evaluation in excess of the current rating.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional development and consideration of whether extra-schedular considerations should be applied. The issues include increased evaluations for scars, headaches, and TDIU.

The Board denied a disability rating in excess of 10 percent for bilateral hearing loss from April 3, 2000, to March 28, 2004, and an initial 20 percent rating thereafter.

The Board has determined that the veteran's bilateral hearing loss warrants a 60 percent evaluation, but not higher. The claim for an initial rating in excess of 60 percent is denied.

The Board has granted service connection for migraine headaches and assigned a noncompensable (0%) rating. The veteran's current diagnosis of migraine headaches is linked to a head injury sustained in a motor vehicle accident during service.

The veteran's initial rating for bilateral hearing loss from March 17, 1999 to December 27, 2005 was granted at a 10 percent disability rating.

The Board has determined that the veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to his military service, specifically noise exposure during active duty for training. As such, these conditions have been granted service connection.

The decision does not address the claim for PTSD. The evaluation for service-connected hearing loss prior to September 14, 2006 was denied as the evidence did not support a higher rating.,Effective from September 14, 2006, the veteran's disability rating for service-connected hearing loss has been increased to 40 percent.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining updated treatment records and scheduling a VA examination.

The veteran's appeal has been withdrawn prior to the Board making a decision.

The Board has determined that the veteran's current bilateral hearing loss is at least as likely as not related to his military service, specifically his combat noise exposure during World War II. As such, the claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is granted.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an earlier effective date of January 9, 2002 for a 30 percent evaluation for service-connected bilateral hearing loss.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to the need for an audiometric examination and review of medical records.

The Board has determined that the veteran's current hearing loss and tinnitus are not related to his military service, and thus denied the claims for service connection.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings for bilateral tinnitus and hearing loss were denied as there is no evidence of a disability picture that more nearly approximates the criteria for a compensable evaluation under the applicable rating schedule.