Hearing loss Board decisions

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for right ear hearing loss and increased evaluations for tinnitus and left ear hearing loss, finding that he did not meet the criteria for a hearing loss disability as defined by VA regulations.

The Board found that the appellant does not have hearing loss that was incurred in service or which may be presumed to have been incurred in service, and thus denied his claim for service connection.

The Board found that the veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus do not warrant an increased disability evaluation, with the current ratings being considered appropriate based on the severity of his symptoms as reflected in audiometric test results.

The Board has determined that the veteran's pre-existing left and right ear hearing loss disabilities were aggravated by in-service noise exposure, warranting service connection for both conditions.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, hypertension, stomach ulcers, residuals of frostbite of the feet, and post-traumatic stress disorder due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to service or a service-connected disability.

The Board has found that the veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability is related to his military service and granted service connection for this condition. The issue of a higher initial evaluation for PTSD remains pending.

The veteran's right ear hearing loss is not considered to be caused or worsened by the October 1997 VA surgery, and thus he does not meet the criteria for compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for a compensable rating for his service-connected bilateral hearing loss, finding that the evidence did not warrant such a rating.

The veteran's chronic tinnitus is granted service connection as it may not reasonably be dissociated from his already established service-connected hearing loss in the left ear.

The veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss is rated at 0 percent, which is the lowest possible rating. The Board found that his current level of disability does not warrant a higher evaluation.

The Board denied the appellant's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and an increased evaluation for post-cyst removal scars on the back of the neck, finding that there was no evidence to support these claims. The skin disorder is currently evaluated at 10 percent.

The Board has determined that the veteran's current bilateral hearing loss was incurred during service due to noise exposure, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Board denied the veteran's petition to reopen his claims of service connection for bilateral sensorineural hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the new evidence submitted did not meet the criteria for being 'new and material' as it was either cumulative or redundant.

The Board has determined that the veteran's currently diagnosed bilateral hearing loss was aggravated by in-service exposure to acoustic trauma while performing his duties as an aircraft maintenance specialist.

The veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral elbow disorder, bilateral shoulder disability, cellulitis of the left thigh, and pulmonary tuberculosis were denied as there is no current evidence of these conditions. The claim for service connection for left ear hearing loss was granted as within normal limits.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen the veteran's claim of service connection for hearing loss, which was previously denied in October 1952. The additional service medical records provide a more complete picture of the veteran's hearing acuity during his service.

The Board has determined that the veteran's status post wedge resection of a pulmonary nodule, caseating granuloma of the right lobe is related to asbestos exposure during his military service. The hearing loss and sinusitis claims are denied as there is no evidence showing these conditions were incurred in or aggravated by his military service.

The Board has granted a 10 percent evaluation for the veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss, effective from the date of the decision.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for higher ratings for his service-connected bilateral hearing loss, finding that the evidence did not warrant an evaluation in excess of 10 percent prior to May 16, 2002 and in excess of 20 percent from May 16, 2002.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have a chronic gastrointestinal disorder related to his active service and denied entitlement to service connection for bilateral hearing loss.