Hearing loss decisions — 2026

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for left ear hearing loss, finding that it is causally related to military noise exposure.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for specially adapted housing (SAH) or special home adaptation (SHA) grants due to his existing conditions and ratings.

All appeals concerning service connection for various conditions have been dismissed due to the invalidity of the initial Notice of Disagreement submitted by the Veteran's surviving spouse before substitution was approved.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied as she does not have current bilateral hearing loss. The claims of service connection for right knee patellofemoral pain syndrome, cervical spondylosis, fibromyalgia, acquired psychiatric disorder (to include PTSD, depressive disorder, and bipolar disorder), disability manifested by atypical chest pain and breathing problems, and left shoulder disability are all remanded for further development.

The Veteran's appeal has been dismissed as the representative withdrew the appeal prior to a decision being made.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is granted as service connected. The kidney condition issue has been remanded for additional development.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied. The Board found that there was no evidence of a service-connected condition resulting in allergic rhinitis, residual scars of the left shoulder, bilateral tinnitus, an acquired psychiatric disorder (claimed as adjustment disorder), a cervical and cervicothoracic region pain disorder, radicular pain of the right upper extremity, or chronic sinusitis. The Veteran's hearing loss disability claim was also denied.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is rated at 10 percent, which is the maximum rating available under VA regulations. The Veteran's cystic acne vulgaris has been rated as 30 percent disabling.,Both issues have been remanded for further development and consideration.

The Veteran's TDIU claim was denied as his service-connected disabilities did not prevent him from securing and maintaining substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The Board found that the Veteran did not meet the criteria for a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss, hemorrhoids, or migraine headaches. Service connection was also denied for various conditions including PTSD, PDD, SSD, GAD, irritable bowel syndrome, dyspnea, chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, and abdominal pain syndrome.

The Board has denied a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss and has remanded the issue of service connection for obstructive sleep apnea due to asbestos exposure. The case is now pending with instructions for obtaining an examination and opinion on the etiology of OSA.

The Veteran's tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss are found to be related to his military service, leading to the grant of service connection for both conditions.

The Board dismissed the appeal because the appellant requested to withdraw their appeal before a decision was made.

The Veteran's appeals for various conditions and ratings are dismissed due to untimely filing of his Notice of Disagreement. The Board has remanded several issues related to service connection, rating determinations, and other claims.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss has been rated at 20 percent since July 2019, with the most recent audiometric evaluation showing a moderate sloping to profound sensorineural hearing loss.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that these conditions are related to his in-service noise exposure.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable evaluation for bilateral hearing loss has been denied.,The Veteran's right shoulder increased evaluation claim was dismissed due to his withdrawal of the appeal.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, is remanded and requires further examination.

The Board denied service connection for left ankle, right ankle, and hearing loss disabilities in both ears. The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder other than an unspecified adjustment disorder was granted service connection with a 50% evaluation effective March 18, 2024.,Service connection for sinusitis and syncope were also denied.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss, shoulder disability, spine disability, back injury, hip disability, foot disability, cataracts, heart issues, prostate cancer, and sleep apnea were not shown to have begun during service or be related to an in-service event, injury, or disease.,The Veteran's right knee disability was also not shown to have begun during service or be related to an in-service event, injury, or disease.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss, lung cancer, and liver cancer due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error. The Veteran is not currently diagnosed with any of these conditions.