Hearing loss Board decisions

The VA denied the veteran's claim of service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that there was no evidence showing a link between his current hearing disability and his military service.

The Board has denied the veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that there is no evidence of a disease or injury incurred in service and concluding that his current hearing disability did not result from any such event.

The veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss was not well-grounded. The claim for an increased rating for post-traumatic stress disorder was granted, with a 30 percent evaluation effective from January 15, 1999.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are not well grounded, as there is no competent medical evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The VA determined that the veteran's service-connected left ear hearing loss does not warrant an increased rating as it is currently evaluated, and provided evidence supporting this decision.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claims for hearing loss, tinnitus, glaucoma and cataracts are not well grounded as there is no competent medical evidence linking these conditions to his period of active service or his service-connected cerebral concussion.

The Board has granted a 10 percent evaluation for bilateral hearing loss and residuals of a shell fragment wound to the right axillary area, characterized as a scar and a retained foreign body. The claim for service connection for generalized arthritis of multiple joints is well grounded.

The Board determined that the veteran's dysthymia and right ear hearing loss do not warrant increased ratings as they are currently rated, with no evidence of exceptional or unusual disability requiring extra-schedular consideration.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for malaria, a respiratory disorder due to asbestos exposure, skin cancer due to asbestos exposure, and residuals of a fracture of the left hand. The claim for bilateral hearing loss was not reopened as new and material evidence had not been submitted.

The veteran's claims for increased evaluations for bilateral hearing loss, hypertension, cervical spine arthritis, and thoracic spine arthritis were denied as the evidence did not support a higher rating under the applicable VA rating criteria.

The Board has granted service connection for a low back disorder and rectum leakage as secondary to the low back disorder. The veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability, tinnitus, and gastrointestinal disorder are not supported by cognizable evidence showing that they are plausible or capable of substantiation.

The veteran is seeking an increased rating for his service-connected residuals of a left mandible fracture, which he contends are severe enough to warrant such. The RO has granted service connection and assigned a non-compensable rating but the veteran disagrees with this decision.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that the veteran's current hearing loss disability is related to in-service noise exposure. The issue of residuals of a head injury with a scar remains pending as it is not addressed by the decision.

The Board of Veterans' Appeals has determined that the veteran's bilateral hearing loss does not warrant an increased rating, as his current disability level is noncompensable under VA rating criteria.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an extra-schedular evaluation for his bilateral hearing loss, finding that it did not present exceptional circumstances warranting such a rating.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for left ear hearing loss and a rating in excess of zero percent for right ear hearing loss due to lack of evidence supporting these claims.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen the veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for bilateral hearing loss. The RO is directed to schedule a VA audiological examination to determine the nature, degree of severity, and correct diagnosis of his hearing loss, as well as whether he has tinnitus. If the determinations are adverse, the veteran should be afforded an opportunity to submit additional evidence.

The Board found that the evidence submitted since the previous denial does not meet the criteria for being new and material, thus preventing the reopening of the claim for service connection for hearing loss and tinnitus.

The veteran's initial rating for bilateral hearing loss is denied as it does not meet the criteria for a compensable disability rating.