Hearing loss decisions — 2025

The Veteran's claim for service connection for depressive disorder was granted as secondary to her service-connected disabilities, while other claims were denied or remanded.

The Board remands the issues of whether the reduction of the disability rating for bilateral hearing loss from 20 percent to 10 percent was proper and entitlement to a higher rating.

The appeals to reverse, based on clear and unmistakable error (CUE), the December 2021 and October 2023 rating decisions that denied service connection for various disabilities were dismissed.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to a lack of evidence linking these conditions to the Veteran's in-service noise exposure.

The veteran withdrew his appeals for service connection for multiple conditions, and the Board has no further jurisdiction to consider these matters.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings, finding that the evidence did not support a current disability or sufficient symptomatology to warrant a compensable evaluation.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability, a disability manifested by chest pain, right and left wrist disabilities, right and left ankle disabilities, and an initial compensable rating for headaches.

The Board granted service connection for erectile dysfunction as secondary to PTSD, denied service connection for Peyronie's disease and TBI, readjudicated the prior denials of service connection for bilateral hearing loss, cervical spine disability, left hand tremors, right hand tremors, head tremors, and denied compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 for urinary incontinence or a bladder injury and fecal incontinence as resulting from a February 2017 inguinal hernia surgery at a VA facility. The Board also reinstated the ratings for left hip strain, right hip strain, and left knee strain.

The appeal for proposed rating reductions of left and right lower extremity radiculopathy was dismissed, as these were not final decisions. Service connection for lingual nerve condition was granted, but service connection for bilateral hearing loss was denied.

The Board granted service connection for asthma based on the PACT Act, but denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability, sleep disturbances, depression, and anxiety. The claims for a headache disability, sleep apnea, back disability, and infertility were remanded.

The Board granted service connection for right ear hearing loss and tinnitus, but denied it for left ear hearing loss. The lower back condition was remanded.

The veteran was granted an effective date of September 11, 2019 for the award of a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) and basic eligibility to Dependents' Educational Assistance under 38 U.S.C. Chapter 35.

The Board dismissed the claims for service connection and higher initial disability ratings due to concurrent elections under the Appeals Modernization Act, and denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss as there was no evidence of a current disability or nexus to service.

The Board remands the claims for an acquired psychiatric disorder and bilateral sensorineural hearing loss to correct pre-decisional duty to assist errors, specifically, to obtain the Veteran's service medical records not already associated with the claims file and to afford the Veteran another VA examination.

The Board granted service connection for left ear hearing loss and denied service connection for vertigo.

The Board denied an increased rating for the lumbosacral strain with degenerative disc disease, IVDS and herniated disc but granted increased ratings of 20 percent for bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy (femoral and sciatic nerves) and remanded service connection for a bilateral hearing loss disability.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, and remanded the claims for a left knee disorder, right knee disorder, low back disorder, and right lower extremity radiculopathy.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for various disabilities due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error regarding the Veteran's failure to attend scheduled examinations.

The Board granted a 100 percent rating for the Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss effective March 13, 2023.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and a left knee disability, finding that the evidence did not support a link between these conditions and the Veteran's military service.