Hearing loss decisions — 2025

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation, granting a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU).

The Board denied an evaluation greater than 30 percent for PTSD prior to March 10, 2020 and dismissed the claim for an earlier effective date for TDIU. The claims for service connection for sleep apnea, bilateral hearing loss, degenerative arthritis of the spine with cervical osteophytes, and right ankle peroneal tendonitis were remanded.

The Board denied the Veteran's petitions to readjudicate previously denied claims for service connection due to a lack of new and relevant evidence.

The Board denied increased ratings for the Veteran's knee and hearing disabilities, granted service connection for sleep apnea, and remanded a claim for TDIU.

The Board granted service connection for diabetes mellitus type II due to Agent Orange exposure and granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to the Veteran's service-connected disabilities, while remanding an increased rating claim for residuals of prostate cancer (voiding dysfunction).

The Board denied service connection for right ear hearing loss disability and tinnitus, finding that the evidence did not support a link between these conditions and in-service noise exposure.

The Board granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's symptoms had their onset during service or were directly caused by in-service noise exposure.

The appeal for an increased disability rating for hearing loss, left ear, was dismissed due to the Veteran's concurrent election of review mechanisms which is prohibited.

The Board granted service connection for GERD and increased ratings for degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine, right lower extremity radiculopathy, and left lower extremity radiculopathy. The appeal for a compensable initial rating for COPD and scar of the left shoulder was withdrawn. Other appeals were denied.

The Board remands the claims for an increased initial rating for left ear hearing loss, service connection for right ear hearing loss, and service connection for PTSD due to pre-decisional duty to assist errors.

The Veteran was granted a 30 percent rating for migraine headaches effective October 16, 2023, and service connection for adjustment disorder. Other claims were denied.

The Board denied the Veteran's request for readjudication of service connection claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus as new and relevant evidence was not submitted.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased evaluations and service connection, finding that the evidence did not support a higher rating or establish service connection.

The Board denied a compensable rating for the Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss based on the results of multiple VA audiological examinations.

The Board denied service connection for a psychiatric disorder, hearing loss, TBI, headaches, heart disease, left and right foot disorders, and a higher disability rating for the gunshot wound through-and-through scar residuals -abdomen, with muscle group XIX involvement.

The Board granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss, resolving all reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran.

The Board granted service connection for right ear hearing loss but denied it for left ear hearing loss.

The Board denied service connection for sleep apnea, peripheral vestibular disorder, bilateral hearing loss, cardiovascular disease, including hypertension, and bilateral cataracts. However, it granted a 10 percent disability rating for TBI and a 70 percent disability rating for other specified trauma and stressor related disorder, effective from August 21, 2020.

The Veteran has withdrawn his appeal for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, heart disease, hypertension, depression, and reactive airway disease.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for various conditions, including facial injury with six teeth missing, sinus disability, right eye injury, traumatic brain injury (TBI), bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, acquired psychiatric disability, cirrhosis of the liver, diabetes mellitus type II, and cause of death, as well as Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) benefits under 38 U.S.C. § 1318, to the AOJ for further development.