Hearing loss decisions — 2026

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for left eye condition, bilateral knee pain, low back pain, and bilateral shoulder pain due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error. The Veteran's STRs are incomplete and need to be obtained, as well as VA examinations to determine the nature and etiology of any diagnosed disabilities.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus is denied.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for a right ear hearing loss disability is denied.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for right lower extremity radiculopathy is denied.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension is granted.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for residuals of right inguinal hernia status post surgical repair is granted.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for left heel spur and plantar fasciitis, status post surgical repair is granted.

The Veteran's tinnitus was granted service connection as it began during active duty. However, his bilateral hearing loss was denied as there is no evidence of its onset or relationship to service.

The Board has denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and remanded the cervical spine condition claim due to insufficient evidence.

The Veteran is granted a TDIU, DEA, and SMC for statutory housebound during the period beginning January 31, 2023. His tinnitus remains rated at 10 percent.

The Board has remanded the case for further action due to issues related to service connection, rating of low back disability, and hearing loss. The Veteran's request for compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 was denied.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral sensorineural hearing loss, finding that the Veteran's hearing problems likely originated during his military service.

Service connection is granted for tinnitus.,Service connection is denied for bilateral hearing loss and right knee disability.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is granted as service connection, with the decision finding that his in-service noise exposure likely contributed to his current condition.,Service connection for pancreatic cancer is granted due to presumed herbicide agent exposure during active duty service. The VA examiner noted other risk factors but still found a link to service.,The Veteran's restrictive lung disease is granted as service connection, with the decision finding asbestos exposure in service likely contributed to his current condition.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability is rated as noncompensable (zero percent) throughout the rating period, and the Board finds no basis to grant a higher rating.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss, headache disorder, residual pain of lumbar spine, sciatica of the left lower extremity, and sciatica of the right lower extremity all related to the Veteran's period of active duty training (ACDUTRA) from May 2, 1986 to August 30, 1986.

The Board has denied service connection for left ear hearing loss, but granted service connection for right ear hearing loss and tinnitus.,Service connection is granted for right ear hearing loss and tinnitus as the evidence is in approximate balance that these conditions manifested within one year of separation from service.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are causally related to his military service exposure. The decision is based on medical opinions provided by VA and a private provider.

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

The Veteran was granted an effective date of October 7, 2021 for the award of a TDIU based on his service-connected disabilities. He also received an effective date of December 21, 2023 for basic eligibility to Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA).,The Veteran's service-connected conditions prevented him from securing and following any substantially gainful employment as of October 7, 2021.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for hearing loss is denied as there is no current disability of hearing loss.,Service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, to include adjustment disorder, is denied due to lack of a nexus between the condition and service.,Service connection for GERD is denied because it did not originate in service or within one year after service, and there is no evidence linking it to TERA.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right ear hearing loss disability is related to his in-service noise exposure and grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further development, including consideration of new evidence and clarification of the effective date for service connection.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for tinnitus, hearing loss disorder, cervical disorder, and thyroid cancer due to inadequate medical opinions and duty-to-assist errors.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not prevent him from securing and following substantially gainful employment.