Hearing loss decisions — 2025

The Board denied service connection for a left knee disability, sinusitis, residuals of a left eye injury, dental injury to tooth 23, and hearing loss. The Veteran was granted an evaluation of 10 percent, but no greater, for a painful appendectomy scar.

The appeal for service connection for multiple disabilities, including cervical spine, lumbar spine, right knee, right lower extremity nerve, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus, is remanded due to the VA Regional Office's failure to comply with its duty to assist by making additional attempts to schedule the Veteran for examinations.

The Board denied a compensable disability rating for bilateral hearing loss and remanded the issues of service connection for high blood pressure and Parkinson's disease.

The Board denied the veteran's appeal for a higher disability rating for tinnitus, as the maximum schedular rating of 10 percent has already been assigned. The claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, interstitial lung disease, and squamous cell carcinoma were remanded due to incomplete evidence.

The Board granted a 30 percent rating for benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) prior to June 12, 2024, and denied all other claims including service connection for various respiratory conditions.

The Board granted a 20 percent rating for the thoracolumbar spine disability and an effective date of November 15, 2011, for the grants of service connection for radiculopathy of both lower extremities. The initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss was denied.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, rhinitis, asthma, severe lower back pain, chronic right knee pain, and chronic left knee pain as there was no evidence of a current disability at the time of the claim or during its pendency.

The Board granted service connection for hypertension and heart disability, but denied a higher rating for the right ring finger disability and a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss.

The Veteran's mental health disorder was granted a 30 percent rating effective October 19, 2022, while other claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and colon polyps but granted service connection for a low back disability. The claim for hemorrhoids was remanded.

The Board dismissed the claim for entitlement to service connection for bilateral hearing loss due to a procedural defect in the Veteran's appeal.

The Board denied increased ratings for the veteran's major depressive disorder, lumbosacral strain, right and left lower extremity radiculopathy, chronic right ankle instability, and bilateral hearing loss. The claims for service connection for sleep apnea and gastrointestinal disorder were remanded.

The Board grants service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and squamous cell carcinoma based on the evidence of record being in equipoise.

The Board denied the Veteran's motion for revision of the August 29, 2005, Rating Decision that denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss due to a lack of clear and unmistakable error.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss but granted service connection for tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current tinnitus is related to in-service acoustic trauma.

The Board remanded both bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus claims due to inadequate medical opinions that failed to properly address causation. The Regional Office found current disabilities and conceded high probability of in-service noise exposure and trichloroethylene (TCE) exposure, but the opinions were legally deficient and required correction before adjudication on the merits.

The Board granted an initial increased disability evaluation rating of 40 percent for service-connected left and right lower extremity radiculopathy, sciatic. The other issues were remanded.

The Board denied service connection for right ear hearing loss as it is not etiologically related to the Veteran's service.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and denied increased ratings for PTSD, thoracic spine disability, and left lower extremity radiculopathy. However, the effective date of August 4, 2023, was granted for a 70 percent evaluation for PTSD.

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