Hearing loss decisions — 2026

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that it is due to in-service acoustic trauma and nerve damage.

The Veteran's claims for PTSD, coronary artery disease (claimed as ischemic heart disease), and vertigo have been remanded due to pre-decisional duty-to-assist errors. The claim for increased rating for bilateral hearing loss has been denied.

The Board has remanded the claims for bilateral hearing loss disability and tinnitus due to inadequate medical opinions regarding their etiology.

The Veteran's appeal for a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss was denied, and the appeal for service connection for sleep apnea is remanded due to missing service records.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's claims for service connection for sleep apnea and a back disability, as well as his appeals for compensable ratings for bilateral hearing loss. The claim for bilateral hearing loss is denied due to lack of evidence warranting an increased rating.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that his hearing loss did not manifest in or within one year after service and was unrelated to in-service noise exposure.

The Veteran's right ear hearing loss and tinnitus are granted service connection, but left ear hearing loss is denied.

The Board dismissed the Veteran's appeals of service connection for testicular cyst, erectile dysfunction, and a bilateral hearing loss disability due to concurrent elections for review.

The Veteran's service connection for bilateral hearing loss, adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depressed mood (psychiatric disability), tinnitus, chronic sinusitis, lumbosacral strain with levoconvex midthoracic scoliosis (lumbar spine disability), right shoulder dislocation with rotator cuff tendonitis and shoulder strain (right shoulder disability), left shoulder strain with rotator cuff tendonitis (left shoulder disability), right knee strain with patellofemoral pain syndrome (right knee disability), left knee strain with patellofemoral pain syndrome (left knee disability), right ankle sprain with lateral collateral ligament injury (right ankle disability), and left ankle sprain with lateral collateral ligament injury (left ankle disability) has been granted. The effective date for these decisions is November 28, 2022.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for bilateral hearing loss was denied as the evidence did not show audiometric testing commensurate with a rating in excess of 0 percent.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability was not incurred or aggravated by service and is not presumed to have been so incurred. The Board found the VA examination opinion most probative, concluding that the Veteran's current hearing loss is less likely related to his military noise exposure.,The Veteran did not meet the criteria for a PTSD diagnosis under DSM-5 due to inadequate stressor support. The VA examiner noted that the Veteran's reported stressor was not related to fear of hostile military or terrorist activity, and personal assault.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD, and for special monthly compensation based on the need for regular aid and attendance was denied as there is no evidence of a diagnosed psychiatric disability. The Board found that the Veteran did not have a current diagnosis of PTSD or any other psychiatric condition.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is granted as service connected due to in-service hazardous noise exposure.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that there is no evidence to support a link between these conditions and his military service.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for right ear hearing loss, an initial compensable rating for left ear hearing loss, and a disability rating in excess of 10 percent for tinnitus.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is denied as there is no evidence of chronicity in service or within the applicable presumptive period.,The Veteran's right little finger disability does not warrant a compensable rating, as it is rated at noncompensable under Diagnostic Code 5230.,The Veteran's hypertension is currently rated at 10 percent and no higher due to lack of evidence showing diastolic pressure predominantly measuring 110 or more, or systolic pressure predominantly measuring 200 or more.,The Veteran's mitral valve insufficiency warrants a 10 percent rating under Diagnostic Code 7000 based on heart failure symptoms at a workload greater than 7.0 METs.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied as there is no current disability meeting VA compensation criteria.,The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for an epidydimal cyst is remanded due to the need for a medical opinion regarding whether his reported erectile problems are related to the service-connected condition.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for a heart disability is remanded as there is no VA Gulf War examination provided, and it is unclear if cardiovascular signs represent undiagnosed illness or chronic multi-symptom illness.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and sleep disorder is remanded due to the need for a new VA examination considering in-service stressors and neuropsychological/sleep symptoms as potential undiagnosed illnesses or chronic multi-symptom illnesses.,The Veteran's claims for service connection for neck disability and nerve disability (left side of neck down to left hand fingers) are remanded due to the need for a VA Gulf War examination considering Southwest Asia exposure risks.,reasoning_summary

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for bilateral hearing loss was denied, but a disability rating of 50 percent, effective July 8, 2022, was granted.

The Board denied the claim that the Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss contributed to his death due to Alzheimer's dementia and failure to thrive, finding that there was no causal connection.

The Veteran's claim for an effective date prior to September 7, 2024, for the award of service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied. The earliest effective date assigned was September 7, 2024.