Hearing loss Board decisions

The Board granted service connection for PTSD, hearing loss, and tinnitus related to in-service combat stressors. Service connection was also granted for cold injury residuals of the upper and lower extremities with a 30% disability rating.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus with effective dates of May 13, 2002, and May 16, 2003 respectively. The veteran's claims were reopened due to new and material evidence submitted within one year of the July 2002 denial.

The Board denied a higher rating for the veteran's service-connected hearing impairment, finding that the evidence did not warrant a rating in excess of 10 percent.

The Board has determined that the veteran's bilateral sensorineural hearing loss was not incurred in or aggravated by active duty for training and pre-existed his active duty, and is not shown to have been made permanently worse therein. As a result, service connection for this condition is denied.

The Board has granted service connection for the veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that these conditions are related to his active military service.

The Board has determined that the veteran did not timely perfect an appeal as to his claims for service connection for headaches, chest pain, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, otitis media, labyrinthitis, and sinusitis. As a result, these issues are dismissed.

The Board has ordered the RO to obtain SSA records and VA treatment records from the Lowell VAMC. The claims for service connection will be readjudicated based on whether new and material evidence has been received.

The Board has determined that the veteran's bilateral hearing loss, lumbar spine disability, and bilateral plantar heel syndrome are not service-connected. The right femur fracture is service-connected but does not warrant an increased rating.

The VA granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and assigned a 10 percent rating effective November 27, 2007. The veteran's hearing impairment was found to be at Level II in the right ear and Level IX in the left ear.

The veteran's PTSD is rated at 50 percent disabling, which is the maximum available benefit. The RO has not assigned a higher evaluation for his bilateral high frequency sensorineural hearing loss or bilateral tinnitus.

The veteran's claim for a compensable disability rating for bilateral hearing loss from October 14, 2004 to May 30, 2007, and a rating in excess of 10 percent from May 31, 2007 was denied as the schedular criteria were not met.

The VA determined that the veteran's bilateral hearing loss does not warrant a rating higher than 20 percent.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for higher ratings for his service-connected bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the criteria were not met for an initial rating higher than 70 percent or 10 percent respectively.

The veteran's claim for payment or reimbursement of unauthorized private medical expenses incurred from March 21, 2005 to March 22, 2005 is denied because he failed to timely submit his claim and the treatment was not for a service-connected disability.

The Board denied service connection for the veteran's headache disorder, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and vertigo as they were not related to his military service.

The veteran's claim to reopen a service connection for left acoustic neuroma was received on January 11, 2000. Effective from this date, he is granted service connection for various disabilities and SMC for loss of use of one eye as residuals of his service-connected post-operative left acoustic neuroma.

The veteran's appeal has been dismissed as he withdrew his appeals for all issues on appeal.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his scar on the right elbow and bilateral hearing loss, finding that the evidence does not support a grant of any higher rating.

The veteran's claim for an earlier effective date of September 28, 2000 for a 30 percent rating for bilateral hearing loss is denied.

The veteran's claim for an initial compensable evaluation for his service-connected bilateral hearing loss is being remanded due to the need for a current audiological examination and additional VCAA notification.