Hearing loss decisions — 2026

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss has been rated as noncompensable, with the right ear and left ear both at Level I. The Board found that the evidence did not meet the threshold for a compensable rating.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is rated at 100 percent effective July 30, 2024. He also receives special monthly compensation based on deafness in both ears.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable disability rating for inflammatory hydrocele was denied.,An effective date of May 1, 2018, for service connection of inflammatory hydrocele is granted.,Service connection for tinnitus and hearing loss remains denied due to lack of new and relevant evidence.,The Veteran's claim for erectile dysfunction secondary to left varicocele is remanded for further evaluation.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, right ear hearing loss, lumbosacral degenerative arthritis, degenerative disc disease and strain, right lower extremity radiculopathy, and left lower extremity radiculopathy have been granted service connection. The Veteran is entitled to a noncompensable rating for his right ear hearing loss.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for prostate cancer, hearing loss, left ankle disability, right ankle disability, left shoulder disability, and right shoulder disability are remanded due to a failure to provide the Veteran with VA examinations prior to adjudication of his claims.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for right ear hearing loss and a compensable rating for left ear hearing loss, finding that there is no nexus between the current hearing loss and military service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss began in service and is related to his military noise exposure, granting service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's otitis media, left ear was granted a 10 percent rating. The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was denied any increase in rating.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss but has remanded the issue of service connection for hyperthyroidism due to potential herbicide exposure.

The Board has decided that service connection for tinnitus is granted. Service connection for bilateral hearing loss is remanded due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability was caused by in-service acoustic trauma. With reasonable doubt resolved in favor of the Veteran, service connection for bilateral hearing loss is granted.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current condition is at least in equipoise with his in-service noise exposure. Service connection for bilateral hearing loss was denied as there is no evidence of a disability meeting VA criteria during the appeal period.

The Veteran's OSA is granted as secondary to obesity caused by his service-connected diabetes mellitus. The claims for bilateral hearing loss and migraines are remanded.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that there is no evidence of a chronic condition in service or within the applicable presumptive period. The Board also found that the Veteran's current conditions are not related to his military service.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for right ear hearing loss, OSA, and high blood pressure due to potential pre-service onset and/or military exposure. The claim for left ear hearing loss remains denied.

The Board has determined that the VA Hearing Loss and Tinnitus Disability Benefits Questionnaire (DBQ) did not provide adequate medical opinions regarding the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus. Therefore, the claims are being remanded to allow for a new examination and additional medical opinions.

The Veteran's cause of death, a fatal motor vehicle accident, was not caused by or aggravated by his service-connected disabilities. The Board found the VA medical opinions more probative than the private medical opinion.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient opinions regarding service connection for bilateral hearing loss, including a lack of consideration of potential exposure to herbicide agents and asbestos. The Veteran's current diagnosis is bilateral hearing loss, which he claims was caused by noise exposure during military service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for an effective date prior to December 3, 2021, for the awards of a 100 percent rating for bilateral hearing loss, SMC based on deafness of both ears, and basic eligibility for Dependents' Educational Assistance under 38 U.S.C. Chapter 35 (DEA benefits). The AOJ is instructed to obtain additional audiometric data from February 2015.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss due to a lack of adequate nexus opinions. The Veteran's tinnitus claim is denied as there is no evidence of a current diagnosis, while his hearing loss claim requires further examination to determine if it is related to service.