Hearing loss decisions — 2026

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the etiology of the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss, specifically related to his service.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus as secondary to his service-connected bilateral hearing loss, finding that the evidence is at least in equipoise and therefore granting this aspect of the claim.

The Veteran's service connection claims for prostate cancer, psoriasis, recurrent intestinal disability, and bilateral hearing loss are granted due to the PACT Act presumption. The cases are remanded for further examination.

The Veteran's tension headaches are granted an initial rating of 10 percent, but no higher. Service connection for sinusitis and bilateral hearing loss is denied. The claims for cervical spine spondylosis and lumbosacral strain are remanded.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for hearing loss of the right ear is denied.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for degenerative joint disease of the SI joint is remanded.

The Veteran's appeal for chronic rhinitis and sarcoidosis was dismissed. The appeals for erectile dysfunction, skin condition, scar, fibromyalgia, headaches, bilateral hearing loss, CFS, dental abscess, visual acuity, memory loss condition, myocardial infraction, cardiovascular disease, sleep apnea, and diabetes mellitus were all dismissed.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss was denied as he does not have a current diagnosis of hearing loss for VA compensation purposes.,The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for Bell's palsy on the left side was also denied, as there is no evidence showing severe incomplete paralysis.

The Board has denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, substance abuse disorders, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus. The evidence does not support a finding that these conditions are related to service.

The Veteran's bilateral plantar fasciitis is granted a 20 percent rating. The issue of an initial compensable rating for service-connected bilateral hearing loss is remanded.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for a reduction in rating for bilateral hearing loss from 10% to 0%, and for a rating in excess of 10% for tinnitus. The decision found that the evidence showed improvement in the Veteran's ability to function under ordinary conditions, which supported reducing the rating for bilateral hearing loss. For tinnitus, the maximum schedular rating was assigned, making any increase not warranted.

The Board has granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea and denied a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss. The Veteran's current disability is due to his active duty service, but the severity of his hearing loss does not meet the criteria for a compensable rating.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for left ear hearing disability and an initial compensable rating for right ear hearing loss due to duty to assist errors. The issues are inextricably intertwined, so both must be addressed together.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that there was no evidence of a chronic disability during or within one year after service and no link between current hearing loss and in-service noise exposure.

The Board has granted service connection for left ear hearing loss, finding that the evidence supports a current disability. Service connection for right ear hearing loss is denied due to lack of audiometric test results meeting VA's definition of a 'disability' at separation from service.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection of a left knee condition, lower back condition, and bilateral hearing loss have been dismissed due to the Veteran's withdrawal of his appeal.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for left ear hearing loss, an initial compensable rating for right ear hearing loss, and a higher rating for tinnitus. The evidence did not establish the presence of a current disability for VA purposes.

The Board has found that the Veteran requires personal care services for at least six continuous months based on an inability to perform activities of daily living. The claim is remanded to determine if participation in the PCAFC program would be in the Veteran's best interest.

The Veteran's service connection claim for bilateral hearing loss is granted as the evidence shows he experienced noise exposure during service and has a current disability, meeting all elements of service connection.

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

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for left ear hearing loss as there was no current diagnosis of a disability for VA purposes.