Hearing loss Board decisions

The Veteran has appealed the effective dates for various ratings, but not all issues have been timely appealed. The appeal is mixed as some issues are granted and others are denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's appeal for increased evaluations for his bilateral knee disabilities, PTSD, hearing loss, and tinnitus have been withdrawn. The Veteran's service-connected left and right knee disabilities are currently evaluated as 20 percent disabling based on instability under Diagnostic Code 5257. Separate 10 percent evaluations are assigned for each knee due to arthritis with painful motion.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right plantar fasciitis, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus are related to service. The right knee disability is not shown to be related to service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss pre-existed his service and was not aggravated by it. As a result, the claim for service connection is denied.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for right ear hearing loss and increased ratings for left ear hearing loss and PTSD have been denied. The Board found no evidence of a current disability in the right ear, and only Level I hearing acuity in the left ear, which does not warrant a compensable rating.

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

The Veteran's appeal has been dismissed because he died during the pendency of his appeal, and therefore the Board does not have jurisdiction to adjudicate the merits of the claim.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss disability is not related to his service or a service-connected TBI, and thus denied the claim for service connection.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss is not related to his military service, and thus denied his claim for service connection.

The Board denied service connection for generalized arthritis, bilateral hearing loss, peripheral neuropathy of the right arm, and an eye disorder. The Veteran's claims were not supported by evidence showing a direct link between his current conditions and service.

The Veteran's initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss is denied as his current level of disability does not warrant a higher evaluation.

The Board found that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were not incurred or aggravated by service, as they did not manifest within one year of separation from service and are unrelated to in-service noise exposure.

The Board has remanded the case to the AOJ for further development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling an examination. The Veteran's claim for service connection for Graves' disease is being addressed.

The Board found that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability, along with other service-connected conditions, has not presented an exceptional or unusual disability picture that would render impractical the application of the regular schedular standards. Therefore, referral for extraschedular consideration is denied.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for hearing loss and tinnitus due to new evidence provided by the Veteran.

The Board has determined that the effective date for service connection and a noncompensable rating for bilateral hearing loss is March 31, 2005.

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn, and the case is dismissed.

The Board has remanded the case due to the Veteran's request for a Travel Board hearing at his local VA RO.

The Board found that the Veteran does not have residuals from a TBI and denied service connection for TBI residuals. The issues of whether new and material evidence has been received to reopen service connection for tinnitus, and service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, GERD, right knee and left leg disabilities, and bilateral hearing loss are addressed in the REMAND portion of the decision.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and development of his claims.