Hearing loss decisions — 2026

The Veteran's claims for service connection for plantar fasciitis and right ear hearing loss are being remanded due to errors in the prior VA examination and lack of a nexus opinion regarding the onset or etiology of these conditions.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him so helpless that he requires the regular aid and attendance of another person, as evidenced by his need for assistance with bathing/showering, tending to hygiene needs, eating or self-feeding, transferring in or out of a bed/chair, dressing, toileting, ambulating with his home or living area, and medication management.

The Board denied the Veteran's request to vacate a January 2019 rating decision that denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding no CUE and noting the evidence did not meet VA criteria for hearing loss.

The Board has granted service connection for left ear hearing loss and denied service connection for right ear hearing loss. The Board also remanded the claims for service connection for left hip disability and right hip disability.

The Veteran's hypertension is granted as presumptively due to herbicide exposure under the PACT Act. The Veteran's prostate cancer, elevated PSA levels, and other conditions are denied.

The Veteran's tinnitus is granted as service connected. The claim for bilateral hearing loss is remanded due to incomplete records and an inadequate VA examination.

The Veteran's appeal for an earlier effective date prior to January 27, 2006 for service connection of multiple sclerosis with right internuclear ophthalmoplegia has been withdrawn. The claim for bilateral hearing loss is denied.,The Board has remanded the claims of entitlement to service connection for a left eye disability associated with multiple sclerosis and for an increased rating for multiple sclerosis.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to duty-to-assist errors and to address potential toxic exposure during service.

An effective date of October 7, 2022 for the award of a 50 percent rating for depressive disorder with anxious distress has been granted.,A rating in excess of 50 percent for depressive disorder with anxious distress is denied.,Service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied.

The Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, left knee disability, and back disability have all been granted as service connection is established.

The Board has dismissed the appeals for service connection of bilateral hearing loss, thoracic spine disability, radicular pain of the right upper extremity, and radicular pain of the left upper extremity as withdrawn by the Veteran. The appeal is also REMANDED for a VA medical opinion on the claim of service connection for headaches.

The Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, hypertension, and PTSD with unspecified neurocognitive disorder have been denied. The effective dates of service connection are set at the earliest date possible based on the evidence provided.,For Parkinson's disease, the Veteran has not met the criteria for an earlier effective date due to lack of a prior claim.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss has been rated as noncompensable (0%) since November 27, 2018. The Board found that the evidence did not show a compensable level of disability.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to his military service, with no significant shift in hearing thresholds between enlistment and separation. As a result, service connection for both conditions is granted.

The Board has granted service connection for degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine, right and left sciatic nerve radiculopathy as proximately due to this condition, migraine headaches, dizziness, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), a skin disability, and bilateral hearing loss. The remaining issues are remanded.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including balance disability, skin condition, bilateral hearing loss, diabetes mellitus type II, heart disorder, and prostate disability, were denied. The Board found that there was no current diagnosis of any of these conditions, or a link to service, particularly given the long latency periods involved in some of the claims.

Service connection for low back disability is granted. An effective date prior to August 20, 2024, for the award of an increased 20 percent rating for bilateral hearing loss is denied. Entitlement to initial compensable rating for COPD is denied. Service connection for OSA is remanded.,The Veteran's low back disability had its onset during active duty and was granted service connection based on continuity of symptomatology since service.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was rated noncompensable from December 23, 2013, to February 7, 2024.,The Veteran's hypertension was also rated noncompensable during the same period.

The Board has found that the Veteran's diabetes mellitus type II and OSA are not related to his service-connected disabilities, including bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus. The claims for service connection are therefore remanded.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for service connection of tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss, finding that he was in receipt of the earliest possible effective date due to VA receiving his intent to file a claim on June 29, 2018.