Hearing loss decisions — 2026

The Veteran's service connection claims for tinnitus, back disability, and hearing loss are all granted. The claim for hearing loss is remanded due to a lack of an adequate VA examination.

The Board denied the Veteran's requests for earlier effective dates for service connection of tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss, finding that continuous pursuit of the claims was broken after a year following the August 2019 rating decision.

The Board has denied a claim for an increased rating for left ear hearing loss, finding that the Veteran's worst findings were recorded during the January 2020 examination and resulted in a non-compensable evaluation.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including kidney disorder, heart disorder, left shoulder disorder, right shoulder disorder, hearing loss, and bilateral eye disorder (nuclear sclerotic cataracts with vitreous membrane detachment and associated floaters), are remanded due to insufficient evidence. The Board also found that the Veteran's hypertension claim is remanded for further analysis.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability, including degenerative arthritis and IVDS, is granted as service-connected.,Service connection for right ear hearing loss, left ear hearing loss, and right knee instability are denied.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for hearing loss was dismissed as the Veteran withdrew his request.,Service connection is granted for right foot plantar fasciitis secondary to service-connected left foot plantar fasciitis. The Board finds that the Veteran's right foot plantar fasciitis is caused by his service-connected left foot plantar fasciitis.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is currently rated at 20 percent, and the Board has determined that an evaluation in excess of this rating is not warranted.

The Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss and cervical spine disorder have been remanded due to the submission of new evidence that tends to prove or disprove a matter at issue.,The Veteran's claim for nerve disorder of the right lower extremity as secondary to service-connected disability has also been remanded.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable disability rating for bilateral hearing loss has been denied.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for kidney disability is remanded due to the need for additional medical clarification.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss but denied service connection for tinnitus. The decision finds that the Veteran's current hearing loss is related to his in-service noise exposure, while there is no evidence of a current diagnosis for tinnitus.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is not being readjudicated as there was no new and relevant evidence submitted since the January 2025 rating decision.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for migraines will be readjudicated due to the submission of a new private medical opinion that addresses the relationship between her current condition and a service-connected disability.

The Veteran's appeal of the increased rating for bilateral hearing loss was erroneously docketed and dismissed as a matter of law.,Service connection for a right hip disability, arthritis, bilateral upper extremity peripheral neuropathy, bilateral lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, back disability, and left knee disability were denied due to lack of evidence supporting these claims.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings have been dismissed. The Board has also remanded the case to obtain VA examinations and opinions regarding the etiology of his claimed disabilities.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that there is no evidence of a nexus between his current disability and his active service. The most persuasive medical evidence does not show a relationship between the Veteran's in-service noise exposure and his current hearing loss.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal regarding the claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to receiving a 100% total disability rating based on combined service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have prevented him from securing and maintaining substantially gainful employment since June 30, 2018. The Board has granted a TDIU effective July 1, 2018.

The Veteran's PTSD results in total occupational and social impairment for the entire appeal period, including a one-year lookback window.,Bilateral hearing loss does not meet compensable rating criteria under VA's tables for hearing loss disabilities.,Hypertension is rated as noncompensable (0%) due to lack of diastolic pressure predominantly 100 or more and systolic pressure predominantly 160 or more, despite the Veteran reporting fatigue often with medication control.,Entitlement to TDIU is moot by virtue of the 100 percent schedular rating now assigned for PTSD.,Basic eligibility for Dependents' Educational Assistance benefits began on September 21, 2022.,There was no evidence provided that warranted an effective date prior to September 21, 2023, for SMC based on housebound status.

The Veteran's bladder disability claim is denied as there is no persuasive evidence of a current disability or causal relationship to service.,Tinnitus has been granted as the Board finds that it first manifested during active service and is related to service.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claim for bilateral hearing loss due to pre-decisional duty to assist errors.

The Veteran was granted an earlier effective date of May 10, 2005 for TDIU on an extraschedular basis.,The Veteran was also granted an earlier effective date of May 10, 2005 for Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA) under 38 U.S.C. Chapter 35.