Hearing loss decisions — 2026

The Veteran's tinnitus claim is granted. The hearing loss claim is remanded for additional development.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is granted as service connection due to in-service noise exposure. The claims for hypertension, coronary artery disease, and heart murmur, atrial fibrillation, and/or supraventricular tachycardia are remanded due to duty-to-assist errors.

The appeal for a rating in excess of 30 percent for adjustment disorder unspecified, chronic with insomnia is dismissed.,The appeal for service connection for CFS is denied.,The appeals for service connection for IBS, BHL, and breathing issues are dismissed.,The appeals for service connection for left foot gout, migraines, OSA, and body dysmorphia are remanded.

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

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities rendered him unable to care for his daily needs, requiring the regular aid and attendance of another person. The Board granted entitlement to SMC benefits based on the need for aid and attendance but dismissed the claim for SMC at the housebound rate as moot.

The Veteran's appeal regarding hearing loss and allergic rhinitis has been decided. The rating for right ear hearing loss is denied, while the rating for allergic rhinitis is remanded.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus is granted.,The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and allergic rhinitis are denied.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for headaches, to include as due to herbicide exposure, is denied.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for bilateral sensorineural hearing loss prior to August 30, 2022 and from that date onward was denied. The current disability rating of 30% is not sufficient.,The Veteran's claim for TDIU was also denied as his service-connected disabilities did not preclude him from securing or following substantially gainful employment.

The Board has determined that new evidence received since the April 2019 rating decision warrants readjudication of the claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss. The Veteran's exposure to hazardous noise during service is now considered, but a VA opinion is needed to address whether his current hearing loss is related to this exposure.

The Board has dismissed the appeals for various conditions and evaluations due to a withdrawal of the appeal by the appellant's authorized representative.

The Veteran's claims of service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, chronic sinusitis, allergic rhinitis, right ear hearing loss, cervical spine disability, left shoulder disability, and right shoulder disability have been dismissed as the RO has granted these issues in full.,Right ear hearing loss is not established as a current disability under VA criteria.

The Board has granted service connection for right shoulder, left shoulder, and hearing loss conditions. The cervical spine condition is remanded.,Right ankle tendonitis and left ankle tendonitis claims are also remanded.

The Veteran's claim to reopen service connection for bilateral hearing loss was denied as there is no new and material evidence. The effective date of the increased rating for his right foot disability remains on appeal.,The Veteran's TDIU claim has been granted with an effective date of June 29, 2023, which coincides with a higher rating for his psychiatric condition.

The Veteran's left ear hearing loss, thoracic spine disorder (low back disability), and left shoulder injury are all granted as service-connected. However, the Veteran's left upper extremity carpal tunnel syndrome is denied.

The Board has dismissed the claim for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea as there is no case or controversy remaining. The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was denied an initial increased rating.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, Meniere's disease (vertigo), and kidney disease due to a lack of a Board hearing. The claims are also being remanded for additional development including obtaining VA treatment records, clarifying speech discrimination testing used in February 2024 VA treatment records, and providing an opinion on whether the Veteran has current kidney disabilities related to service, including lead exposure.

The Veteran's tinnitus and PTSD are granted as service-connected. The remaining issues have been remanded for further examination.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and a higher rating for Meniere's disease have been dismissed due to the Veteran's withdrawal of all pending appeals.

The Veteran's right ear hearing loss is currently rated as noncompensable, and the evidence does not support a higher rating.

The Board has found that the Veteran's COPD and bilateral hearing loss do not meet the criteria for service connection.,For hypertension and sleep apnea, the Board has determined there are issues to be remanded due to the need for further development.