Hearing loss decisions — 2025

The Board dismissed the appeals for a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss, an increased rating for tinnitus, service connection for vertigo, and service connection for a right ankle disability due to untimely VA Form 10182 submissions without good cause shown.

The Board granted the reinstatement of a 30% rating for cystic kidney disease, denied service connection for supraventricular tachycardia and old myocardial infarction, and denied initial ratings in excess of 10% for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus.

The Board dismissed the veteran's appeals for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, cervical strain, esophagus stricture, traumatic brain injury (TBI), and migraine headaches due to untimely notice of disagreement. The appeal for B-cell lymphoma was remanded for further development.

The Board granted service connection for right ear hearing loss, tinnitus, diabetes mellitus type II, and Parkinson's disease.

The Board denied service connection for a heart disability, Raynaud's syndrome, and a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss as there was no evidence of a current disability within VA standards.

The Board denied the claims for increased ratings and remanded additional issues due to insufficient evidence.

The Board dismissed the claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric condition and denied the claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss.

The Board granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, resolving all doubt in the Veteran's favor.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an initial compensable evaluation for left ear hearing loss based on the results of a November 2024 VA examination.

The Board granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected HIV infection with fibromatoses, and remanded the issue of entitlement to service connection for an abdominal scar from an appendectomy, also as secondary to the service-connected HIV infection with fibromatoses.

The appeal for service connection for right ear hearing loss was denied, while the appeals for left ear hearing loss and a higher disability rating for bilateral primary open angle glaucoma with bilateral pseudophakia and right exotropia status post right corneal transplant were remanded.

The Board remands the issues of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to a duty to assist error, specifically the lack of a separation examination from August 9, 1979, and missing private medical records.

The Board granted service connection for headaches diagnosed as migraines including migraine variants, but remanded the claims for hypertension, left rotator cuff tear, and right ear hearing loss.

The Board denied service connection for right ear hearing disorder, dry eye disorder, and urinary disorder. Tinnitus was granted, but the Veteran's left knee degenerative joint disease, right knee patellofemoral pain syndrome, left knee degenerative joint disease with instability, right shoulder bicipital tendonitis, and left shoulder bicipital tendonitis do not warrant increased ratings.

The Board granted service connection for diabetes mellitus but denied it for bilateral hearing loss.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities are of such nature and severity as to preclude his participation in any regular substantially gainful employment consistent with his education and occupational experience, warranting a total disability rating based on individual unemployability.

The Veteran's service-connected depressive disorder renders him unable to obtain and maintain substantially gainful employment, granting a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) for the purposes of special monthly compensation.

The Board granted service connection for tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's tinnitus had its onset in service with continuity of symptomatology since his separation from service. The claims for right and left ear hearing loss were remanded for further examination.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for left elbow lateral and medial epicondylitis, left forearm impairment of pronation, and bilateral hearing loss.