Hearing loss Board decisions

The Board found that the appellant did not timely file a substantive appeal for his claims, and thus lacks jurisdiction to consider them.

The Board determined that the veteran did not file an adequate substantive appeal for his claims of service connection and nonservice-connected pension benefits, thus dismissing these issues.

The Board has determined that the veteran's right ear hearing loss does not meet the criteria for a compensable evaluation, as it is currently rated at Level II and combined with the nonservice-connected left ear to result in a noncompensable rating.

The Board has denied the veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral sensorineural hearing loss as there is no competent evidence linking his current condition to service or inservice noise exposure.

The Board has granted a 30 percent disability rating for the veteran's bilateral hearing loss, effective from when the appeal was filed. The previous 20 percent rating is increased by an additional 10 percent due to exceptional circumstances.

The veteran became unemployable due to service-connected disabilities in October 1993, and his TDIU claim was granted with an effective date of July 26, 1995. The 60 percent evaluation for residuals of aortic aneurysm was also granted with an effective date of January 26, 1999.

The veteran's left thigh injury with retained foreign body is not painful or tender, and does not interfere with function. The VA has determined that the veteran's bilateral hearing loss was caused by exposure to acoustic trauma during service.

The Board has found new and material evidence sufficient to reopen the veteran's claims for service connection for cervical spine disability and hearing loss. The veteran's cervical spine disability is deemed incurred during active military service, while his hearing loss may also be related to service.

The VA determined that the veteran's hearing loss did not warrant a compensable evaluation, as it was only at Level III in both ears.

The Board found that the appellant does not have a defective hearing disability or tinnitus related to service. The initial medical evidence of these conditions was shown many years after service, following a post-service head injury.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for hearing loss and an initial rating higher than 10 percent for thoracic kyphosis, Scheuermann's disease. The decision found that new evidence did not present a basis to reopen the claim for hearing loss and that the current disability does not meet the criteria for a compensable evaluation under VA regulations.

The Board has dismissed the appeal due to the veteran's death.

The Board found no competent medical evidence linking the veteran's current right ear hearing loss disability to his service, and denied his claim of service connection.

The veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss is currently rated as noncompensable, and the Board finds that a compensable evaluation is not warranted based on current audiometric findings.

The Board has granted service connection for hearing loss, but denied service connection for vision loss and CVA as they are not linked to the veteran's active military service.

The Board has determined that the reduction of the veteran's disability rating for bilateral hearing loss from 60% to 30%, effective January 1, 1999, was proper and restoration of a 60% evaluation is not warranted.

The veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss is productive of Level III hearing bilaterally without an exceptional pattern, warranting a noncompensable evaluation.

The veteran's diabetes mellitus is currently rated at 20 percent, which is the maximum rating available under VA regulations.,The veteran's hypertension is currently rated at 10 percent, and there are no additional issues related to this condition.

The Board found that the veteran's bilateral hearing loss did not meet the criteria for service connection due to lack of evidence showing it was incurred during active duty. For asthma, the evaluation remained at 10 percent as there were no findings warranting a higher rating.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claim for service connection for hearing loss of the right ear based on new and material evidence submitted since the last final denial in November 1996. The additional evidence shows that the veteran meets the criteria for a hearing disability as defined by VA regulations, which may support his claim.