Hearing loss decisions — 2025

The Board denied service connection for left ear hearing loss and denied initial ratings above the assigned levels for various service-connected conditions, except for a 50 percent rating for tension headaches.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus as the evidence did not show that these conditions were incurred in or are otherwise etiologically related to the Veteran's active-duty service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for left ear hearing loss and remanded claims for lumbar disability, bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy, and tinea versicolor due to missing service treatment records.

The Board granted an effective date of July 5, 2017, for the grant of service connection for a bilateral hearing loss disability and tinnitus.

The Board denied service connection for PTSD, blood clots, blepharitis, and bilateral hearing loss.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for an increased rating for diabetes mellitus and service connection for left ear hearing loss.

The Board granted service connection for right and left lower extremity radiculopathy of the sciatic nerve, denied a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss disability, and denied an increased rating for tinnitus. The decision also remanded issues related to the Veteran's back and left shoulder disabilities.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for an earlier effective date, a higher rating for hearing loss, and SMC.

The Board granted the Veteran's appeal to accept the July 25, 2017 Notice of Disagreement as timely for the July 5, 2016 rating decision.

The Board granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, erectile dysfunction as secondary to PTSD with major depressive disorder, and hypertension as secondary to PTSD with major depressive disorder. It also granted a 100 percent rating for PTSD with major depressive disorder from May 1, 2023, and special monthly compensation (SMC) under 38 U.S.C. § 1114(s).

The Board remands the matter of entitlement to service connection for bilateral hearing loss due to a need for an addendum opinion.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for left ear hearing loss as there was no evidence of a current disability in accordance with VA standards.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss due to a lack of evidence showing the Veteran has, or had at any time during the appeal, a current diagnosis of right or left ear hearing loss for VA purposes.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, hypertension, erectile dysfunction, benign prostatic hypertrophy, and proctalgia fugax.

The Board granted the Veteran's appeal as the higher-level review (HLR) request received in July 2021 was timely.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his service-connected bilateral hearing loss, as the evidence did not support a compensable disability rating.

The Board granted service connection for the Veteran's right ear hearing loss, resolving reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran.

The Board granted a 10 percent evaluation for the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss based on the results of an audiometric examination.

The Veteran's service connection for a psychiatric disorder, to include depression and isolation as secondary to hearing loss was denied. However, the Board granted service connection for right ear hearing loss effective September 1, 2022.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error.