Hearing loss decisions — 2026

The Veteran's currently diagnosed bilateral hearing loss is related to noise exposure during his military service, and the Board grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, bilateral hearing loss, and acute intermittent tension headaches has been denied. The Board found no current diagnosis of these conditions.,There is no evidence of a current diagnosis of an acquired psychiatric disorder or bilateral hearing loss.

The Veteran's service-connected tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss do not render him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment, as his education, training, and work history indicate he can perform the physical and mental acts required by employment.

The Board has granted service connection for right ear hearing loss, finding that the Veteran's current condition is related to noise exposure during active duty.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss, finding that it is related to his military service.

The Veteran's right ear hearing loss is granted as service-connected.,His smoldering multiple myeloma does not meet the criteria for a compensable rating.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for right ear and left ear hearing loss, finding that there is no current disability in either ear meeting VA criteria for a hearing loss disability. The Board also found that there was insufficient evidence to establish a nexus between any current hearing loss and military noise exposure.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left ear hearing loss is etiologically related to service and grants entitlement to service connection.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right ear hearing loss is a result of his military service and grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's appeals for service connection on four issues: back disability, knee disability, grand mal seizures, and hearing loss. The claims were denied in September 2017 without a timely Notice of Disagreement.

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

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was evaluated as Level I under the VA rating criteria, resulting in a noncompensable (0%) disability rating. The Board found that his hearing acuity did not warrant a higher rating.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date of TDIU due to his service-connected disabilities not rendering him unable to obtain and maintain substantially gainful employment prior to February 28, 2018.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, gastrointestinal disability including GERD with esophagitis, left hip disability, and lower back disability. The claim for right eye condition (claimed as migraines) is being remanded.,The evidence does not support a finding that any of these conditions began during active service or are otherwise related to an in-service injury, event, or disease.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation, as they prevent prolonged standing and walking.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient data and analysis in the Centralized Eligibility and Appeals Team (CEAT) review, which did not adequately address the Veteran's need for personal care services based on his mental impairments.

The Board dismissed the appeal for service connection for bilateral hearing loss as it was withdrawn. Service connection for tinnitus is granted based on chronic disease presumptive service connection due to in-service noise exposure.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is currently rated at 10 percent, and the Board finds no basis to grant a higher rating.,Service connection for a right wrist disability is denied as there is no evidence of such during active duty service or otherwise related to service.,Service connection for a left knee disability is remanded due to insufficient evidence regarding its onset in service.,An initial rating in excess of 20 percent for the Veteran's right knee strain with patellofemoral pain syndrome (right knee disability) is also remanded as there are no findings or diagnoses related to this condition during active duty service.,Service connection for a sleep disorder is remanded due to insufficient evidence regarding its onset in service.,Service connection for a disability manifested by chest pain is remanded due to insufficient evidence regarding its onset in service.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for headaches, rhinitis, and sleep apnea due to potential secondary etiology from service-connected psychiatric disabilities. The other issues remain pending.

The Veteran's hearing loss does not meet the criteria for VA compensation purposes.,There is no evidence of a current diagnosis of sleep apnea.,Service connection for asthma was granted on a presumptive basis under the PACT Act, effective August 10, 2022.,Service connection for migraine headaches (headaches) was granted on a presumptive basis under the PACT Act, effective December 3, 2021.,Service connection for right hand strain was granted on a presumptive basis under the PACT Act, effective December 3, 2021.,Service connection for allergic rhinitis was granted on a presumptive basis under the PACT Act, effective August 10, 2022.