Hearing loss decisions — 2025

The Board remands the claims for service connection and increased ratings due to a pre-decisional duty-to-assist error in scheduling examinations.

The Board granted an earlier effective date of September 19, 2023 for the grants of service connection for tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss. The claims for other conditions were remanded for further development.

The Board remands the appeal for an addendum medical opinion to address the Veteran's left ear hearing loss and ensure a fully-explained rationale is provided.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for sleep apnea, bilateral shin splints, alopecia, and hearing loss. The right knee condition was remanded for further development.

The Board denied a higher rating for bilateral hearing loss and remanded the claims for osteoarthritis of the right hip, left lower extremity sciatic nerve radiculopathy, and right lower extremity femoral nerve radiculopathy.

The veteran's appeal for service connection for erectile dysfunction, a heart condition, bilateral hearing loss, and bilateral knees was dismissed as it was not timely filed.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss as the evidence did not support a current disability under VA regulations.

The Board granted service connection for GERD, pain of the cervical and cervicothoracic regions, and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), but denied a compensable disability rating for right ear hearing loss, service connection for left ear hearing loss, an acquired psychiatric disorder, and a traumatic brain injury (TBI).

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss but granted a 30 percent disability rating for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).

The Board denied service connection for left leg length discrepancy, bilateral hearing loss, and a compensable evaluation of Tufts fracture, left little finger, resolved (minor).

The Board denied the veteran's claims for a compensable rating for right ear hearing loss disability and an increased rating for tinnitus, as the evidence did not support higher ratings.

The Board granted service connection for a bilateral hearing loss disability and tinnitus, but remanded claims for hypertension, liver disability, and left hand disability.

The Board remands the claim for service connection for hearing loss to obtain a more comprehensive VA examination and medical opinion, as the current evidence is not adequate to determine if the Veteran has a hearing loss disability for VA purposes or if there is a relationship between his hearing loss and military noise exposure.

The Board denied or dismissed the veteran's claims for earlier effective dates, higher ratings, and service connection for various conditions, with some grants of earlier effective dates and initial ratings.

The Board remands the claim for a medical opinion to address the Veteran's reported in-service onset of hearing loss and exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune.

The appeal for service connection for unspecified depression with anxious distress, moderate (claimed as insomnia) was dismissed. The claim for bilateral hearing loss was denied. The lumbosacral strain to include DJD and DDD was remanded.

The Board denied service connection for right ear hearing loss and an initial compensable evaluation for left ear hearing loss based on the evidence of record.

The Board remands the claims for service connection and a compensable rating for further development, including scheduling new VA examinations.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) due to his service-connected disabilities, including prostate cancer residuals, hearing loss, tinnitus, and erectile dysfunction.

The Veteran is granted special monthly compensation (SMC) based on the need for regular aid and assistance of another person due to his service-connected disabilities.