Hearing loss decisions — 2026

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is rated at 20 percent, the maximum rating available under VA regulations. The Board found that his hearing acuity did not warrant a higher rating based on the evidence of record.

The Board has granted service connection for right ear hearing loss and remanded the issue of a compensable rating for left ear hearing loss.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for right knee, bilateral hearing loss, and ankle disabilities due to inadequate medical opinions in the November 2019 rating decision. The AOJ is required to provide addendum opinions addressing the etiology of these conditions.

The Board has found new and relevant evidence for the previously denied claims of vision, dental trauma, right shoulder condition, left shoulder condition, low back condition, pes planus and plantar fasciitis, right knee condition, left knee condition, and bilateral hearing loss. These claims are being remanded to the AOJ for further adjudication.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including adjustment disorder, sinusitis with headaches, status post pyeloplasty, tinnitus, allergic rhinitis, keloid formation, and bilateral hearing loss, have rendered him unable to secure and follow substantially gainful employment. The Board has granted a TDIU effective July 20, 2020.

The Board has denied service connection for hearing loss and tinnitus, but has remanded the claim for service connection of OSA. The Veteran's claims are not granted as there is no evidence of a current disability or in-service incurrence.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are granted as service-connected.,Service connection is established for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to noise exposure during military service.

The Board has granted service connection for a back disability, left knee disability, and right knee disability. The Veteran's tinnitus is also found to be related to his in-service noise exposure.,Service connection was denied for bilateral hearing loss as the Veteran does not demonstrate current hearing loss.

The Board has granted service connection for lower back disability, erectile dysfunction (ED), headaches, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), chronic sinusitis, vertigo, neck disability, right upper and left upper extremity radiculopathy, voiding dysfunction, pseudo folliculatis barbae, right wrist pain, left wrist pain, right hip pain, left hip pain, and right ear hearing loss.

The Board has determined that additional medical opinions and records are needed to properly adjudicate the Veteran's claims for service connection. The claims have been remanded.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss as there is no evidence of current disability meeting VA criteria.

A 50 percent rating for bilateral hearing loss is granted effective from August 5, 2024. Service connection for asthma and vertigo are denied.

The Veteran meets the schedular criteria for a total disability evaluation based on individual unemployability (TDIU) due to his service-connected disabilities, which render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's claims for TDIU, DEA eligibility based on permanent and total disability status, a compensable rating for hearing loss in the left ear, and an increased rating for major depressive disorder have all been denied. The effective dates for these decisions are not applicable as they were made after the relevant look-back periods.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss did not onset in service, was not shown to be related to her period of active duty, and is not otherwise etiologically related. As a result, the claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied.

The Veteran's claims for GERD, obstructive sleep apnea, right ear hearing loss, left ear hearing loss, and vertigo have been remanded due to the need for additional evidence.,Claims for service connection of a headache disorder, left shoulder disorder, left ankle disorder, left knee disorder, right elbow disorder, and an acquired psychiatric disorder (PTSD and unspecified trauma and stressor related disorder) are also being remanded.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, vision in left eye, diabetes, and high blood pressure. The evidence does not support a finding of current disabilities or an in-service incurrence of these conditions.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that there is not an approximate balance of positive and negative evidence regarding these conditions. The evidence does not support a finding that the hearing loss or tinnitus were incurred or aggravated in line of duty during active duty training (ADT) or inactive duty training (IDT).

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including mental health conditions and hearing loss, did not render him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including hearing loss and tinnitus, prevent him from securing or following any substantially gainful employment. The Board finds that a combined effects opinion is necessary to sufficiently address the Veteran's claim for TDIU.