Hearing loss decisions — 2009

The Board denied the veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, as the law is dispositive of the matter.

The veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, as well as his claim for an increased rating for eustachian tube dysfunction, were denied by the Board of Veterans' Appeals.

The veteran's claim for an earlier effective date than December 4, 2006, for the grant of a 100 percent rating for bilateral hearing loss was denied as it was not factually ascertainable prior to that date that the criteria for a 100 percent rating were met.

The Board granted service connection for tinnitus based on the veteran's credible testimony and documentation of right ear ringing in 1965.

The veteran's initial compensable disability rating for bilateral hearing loss was denied as the evidence did not support a compensable level of hearing impairment.

The veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss was rated at 10 percent prior to May 4, 2006, and increased to 20 percent effective from that date. The claim for dizziness/vertigo as secondary to the hearing loss was denied, as were the claims for TDIU.

The veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability was determined to be related to service, while his right knee disability was not.

The veteran was denied an initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss from February 26, 2005 to July 17, 2008, and a rating higher than 20 percent as of July 18, 2008.

The Board denied the appellant's claim for service connection for the cause of the veteran's death, as there was no medical evidence or competent opinion linking a cardiovascular disease to any incident of service and no evidence that diabetes played a causative role in his death.

The Board denied service connection for the residuals of a shrapnel wound of the left upper back, left arm disability secondary to such wounds, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease with asthma secondary to asbestos exposure, and bilateral hearing loss.

The veteran's claims for service connection and increased rating are being remanded to the RO for further development.

The veteran's claim for a higher rating for bilateral hearing loss was denied as the evidence did not support a rating in excess of 10 percent from July 2, 2003 to April 30, 2006 or a compensable rating from May 1, 2006 to the present.

The veteran's skin cancer, hearing loss, and tinnitus were not related to his service.

The Board denied service connection for the veteran's claimed conditions as there was no evidence of an inservice injury or disease and a nexus to his current disabilities.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability as there was no evidence of a current disability or that such disability was incurred in or aggravated by service.

The Board concluded that the preponderance of the evidence is against the veteran's claims for service connection for glaucoma, kidney stones, and bilateral hearing loss.

The veteran's initial rating for bilateral hearing loss was denied as the evidence did not warrant a designation higher than Level I or II under Table VI, which corresponds to a noncompensable rating.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus as the evidence did not support a causal relationship between the current conditions and active service.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss as there was no competent medical evidence showing that his hearing loss was caused by his time in service.

The veteran's initial disability evaluation for bilateral hearing loss was denied as the numeric designations did not translate to a compensable rating.