Hearing loss decisions — 2025

The Board denied service connection for erectile dysfunction and denied effective dates earlier than specified for the ratings of various disabilities, while granting an earlier effective date for a 70% disability rating for an acquired psychiatric disorder.

The Board granted a 40% rating for lumbosacral strain with degenerative arthritis and spinal stenosis, but denied an initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss.

The Board denied a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss, finding that the evidence did not support a higher disability rating based on the measured pure tone threshold average and speech discrimination test results.

The Board denied initial disability ratings in excess of 70 percent for PTSD, 10 percent for bilateral hearing loss, and 30 percent for COPD with asthma. The claims for service connection for various disabilities were remanded.

The Board remands the claim for a bilateral hearing loss disability to obtain an adequate medical opinion addressing both direct service connection and toxic exposure risk activities (TERA) theories.

The Board denied service connection for a low back disorder and bilateral hearing loss disability as the evidence did not support the presence of these conditions during or approximate to the pendency of the claims.

The Board granted service connection for left ear hearing loss, finding it to be at least as likely as not related to the Veteran's active duty service.

The Board granted service connection for tinnitus and remanded the issue of entitlement to service connection for bilateral hearing loss due to a need for an adequate medical opinion.

The Board denied service connection for tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss, as well as a compensable rating for the linear scar on the right index finger.

The character of the appellant's discharge from active military service is not a bar to the receipt of Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) benefits.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, hypertension (claimed as high blood pressure), and a heart disability (claimed as congestive heart failure) due to insufficient evidence linking these conditions to his active military service.

The Board granted service connection for a cervical spine disability and bilateral hearing loss, while denying service connection for asthma, anxiety disorder, adjustment disorder, depressive disorder, GERD, migraines (also claimed as headaches), insomnia, left hip disability, right hip disability, and plantar fasciitis.

The Veteran's service-connected diabetes, peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities, sleep apnea, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus rendered him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation from May 30, 2008 to prior to March 3, 2011.

The Board remands the appeal to obtain an opinion from a clinician as to whether it is in the best interest of the Veteran to participate in the PCAFC, given that the Veteran has been determined to be in need of personal care services for at least six continuous months based on an inability to perform certain ADLs.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, left shoulder disability, neck disability, and left ankle disability. The claims for right knee, right ankle, back, right hand, left hand, left wrist, right wrist, and right shoulder disabilities were remanded.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss as there was no credible evidence showing the disability was incurred in or aggravated by active service.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for a compensable evaluation of thoracic outlet syndrome with left shoulder involvement, dismissed an appeal regarding a proposed reduction in the evaluation of thoracic outlet syndrome with right upper extremity peripheral neuropathy, and denied earlier effective dates for service connection for scar, right upper extremity, as well as claims for a compensable evaluation for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus.

The Board denied an increased disability rating for tinnitus and granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss.

The Board granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss but denied a higher rating and an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for tinnitus.

The veteran withdrew his appeals for all claims, and the Board has no jurisdiction to review these matters.