Hearing loss decisions — 2009

The Veteran was granted a 40 percent rating for his low back disability and a separate initial 10 percent rating for associated radiculopathy, effective from June 3, 2004. No compensable rating was assigned for bilateral hearing loss.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating and extraschedular evaluation for his service-connected bilateral hearing loss was remanded for a new VA examination to assess the functional effects of the disability on daily activities and employment.

The Veteran was granted service connection for left ear hearing loss and assigned a noncompensable initial rating. Tinnitus was also granted with an initial 10 percent rating, but no higher rating is available.

The Board found that the Veteran's hearing loss is not attributable to his active military service.

The Veteran's appeal for a higher initial evaluation of vertigo with bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, claimed as Meniere's Syndrome, was denied. However, a separate compensable rating for tinnitus since June 10, 1999, was granted.

The Board denied the appellant's claims for service connection for a bilateral hearing loss disability, an increased evaluation for residuals of right wrist fracture, and an increased evaluation for skin rash.

The claim for service connection for a stomach disorder was denied as new and material evidence has not been presented.,The application to reopen the claim of service connection for a stomach disorder is denied.,PTSD was granted based on a diagnosis related to an in-service assault, which meets the criteria for service connection.,The application to reopen the claim of service connection for a back disorder is granted; however, the claim for service connection for a back disorder is not met.,Service connection for type 2 diabetes mellitus was denied as there is no evidence that it is related to service or any incident therein.,The application to reopen the claim of service connection for tinnitus is denied.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss were denied as there was no evidence of a chronic condition in service or continuity of symptomatology. The claims for PTSD, lumbar intervertebral disc syndrome and sciatic neuropathy, and cervical joint and disc disease are remanded for further development.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are being remanded to the RO for further development, including a medical examination.

The appeal is remanded for further development, including obtaining additional medical evidence to address the etiology of the claimed conditions.

The Board granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and right 5th finger extensor tendon deficit, but denied service connection for a back disorder, cervical arthralgia, and arthritis of the right thumb and fingers.

The Board denied the claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and increased ratings for plantar fasciitis, TMJ, and residuals of pituitary tumor surgery as there was no competent medical evidence supporting these conditions or their severity.

The Board remands the case to provide the Veteran with a VA audiological examination to assess the current nature and etiology of his bilateral hearing loss disability.

The Veteran's claim for an initial, compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss prior to August 19, 2008 was denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating from August 19, 2008.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that there is sufficient evidence to support these conditions as being related to his military service.

The Veteran's hearing acuity is manifested by no worse than level II hearing in the right ear, and level III hearing in the left ear. The criteria for a compensable rating for his bilateral hearing loss have not been met.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss is currently rated as noncompensable, and the evidence does not support a higher rating.

The VA determined that the veteran's bilateral hearing loss does not meet the criteria for a compensable evaluation, resulting in a denial of his claim.

The Veteran's claim for increased ratings for bilateral hearing loss prior to April 12, 2007 and since that date has been denied. The Board found no evidence of a compensable rating prior to April 12, 2007 and no more than a 10 percent rating thereafter.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are not related to his active service, as there was no evidence of hearing loss or tinnitus during service. The VA examiner concluded that the Veteran's hearing loss is more likely due to natural aging rather than in-service noise exposure.