Hearing loss decisions — 2026

The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 10 percent for bilateral hearing loss is denied.,The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date prior to December 5, 2023, for the assignment of a 10 percent disability rating for bilateral hearing loss is denied.,The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for immersion feet with ringworm syndrome is denied.

The Veteran's non-Hodgkin's lymphoma is in remission and not characterized by active disease or treatment, thus denying a compensable rating.,There is no current evidence of bilateral hearing loss meeting VA criteria for disability purposes, leading to denial of service connection.,Service connection for tinnitus is granted as the Veteran experienced it shortly after service and was exposed to noise during military service.

The Veteran's disability rating for bilateral hearing loss was reduced from 20 percent to 0 percent, effective March 1, 2022. The Board found that the reduction was improper and reinstated the prior 20 percent rating.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding no current disability. Service connection was granted for obstructive sleep apnea.

The Veteran's appeals for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were dismissed due to their death during the appeal process.

The Board has dismissed the appeals for service connection of bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus as they have already been granted in full with effective dates back to January 3, 2025.

The Veteran's claims of service connection for TBI and other stressor-related disorder were dismissed due to concurrent elections.,Claims for increased ratings for laceration of the forehead, left ear hearing loss, headache syndrome, right ear hearing loss, hypothyroidism (Grave's Disease), bilateral knee conditions, and vision disorder were dismissed as untimely.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a procedural error in providing an adequate VA medical opinion, and insufficient evidence to grant service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for obstructive sleep apnea and bilateral hearing loss were denied as the evidence did not support higher disability ratings.

The Veteran's appeal for an increased rating for bilateral hearing loss was dismissed because the March 2025 VA Form 10182, which appealed the December 2024 rating decision, was submitted while a supplemental claim (VA Form 21-526EZ) was pending. The Board cannot review this appeal as it is concurrent with another pending appeal.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to a duty to assist error where the full report of his November 2023 VA hearing loss test was not associated with the file. The issue of an initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss remains before the Board.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for acquired psychiatric disorder, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, cervical stenosis, lumbar spine, lymphedema, and central retinal vein occlusion with macular edema with pseudophakia of the right eye are all granted. The decision is based on direct evidence of a nexus between each condition and service.

The Board has denied the Veteran's appeal of the initial ratings for left and right knee disabilities, as well as his claims for service connection for a back condition, bilateral hearing loss, and a heart condition. The appeal was dismissed due to untimely filing.

The claims of service connection for intracranial lipomas and tinnitus, as well as the initial compensable disability ratings for left knee chondromalacia patella and right ear hearing loss, are dismissed due to untimely notices of disagreement. The claim of compensation for burn pit exposure is dismissed because it was not a specific disability but rather an indication that more information was needed.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, back disability, left shoulder disability, and skin disability. The claims of service connection for right ear hearing loss, left ear hearing loss, and skin disability are remanded.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 30 percent, and the Board denied a higher rating.,The Veteran also sought SMC based on need for regular aid and attendance or housebound status. The Board found that he did not meet the criteria for either.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for right thigh muscle contusion, right ear hearing loss, and left ear hearing loss have been dismissed due to untimeliness of the Notice of Disagreement.,The Veteran's claim for increased evaluation for service-connected left ear hearing loss has also been dismissed due to untimeliness of the Notice of Disagreement.,The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II; obstructive sleep apnea; and hypertension.

The Board has granted service connection for right ear hearing loss, finding that the Veteran's current diagnosis is causally linked to his in-service hazardous noise exposure.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error, requiring new VA medical examinations.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate medical opinions regarding whether the Veteran's service-connected conditions contributed to his death from COVID-19. The VA will obtain a new opinion on this issue.