Hearing loss decisions — 2026

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss disabilities are related to his active service, and thus grants entitlement to service connection for both left ear and right ear hearing loss.

The Veteran's gastrointestinal, right knee, and left knee disabilities are granted service connection. The skin condition is denied as there is no evidence of a nexus to service. Service connection for bilateral foot disability and left ear hearing loss is also denied.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and granted service connection for tinnitus. The decision found that the Veteran's current bilateral sensorineural hearing did not begin in service, become manifest to compensable degree within a year of separation from service, and is not related to noise exposure in service. Service connection was granted for tinnitus due to military noise exposure.

The Veteran's request for an extension of time to file a Board Appeal requesting service connection for bilateral hearing loss was denied because the appeal was not timely filed, and good cause was not shown.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus and right ear hearing loss, but denied service connection for left ear hearing loss.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including his right ankle ankylosis and knee replacements, have prevented him from securing or following substantially gainful employment since January 30, 2024. The Board has granted a TDIU based on this finding.

The Board has denied earlier effective dates for the awards of service connection for right ear hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that no new and material evidence was submitted within one year of the April 2004 rating decision denying these claims.,The Veteran's claim for diabetes mellitus is remanded due to a need for an addendum opinion addressing the relationship between his current disability and service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not result in the physical loss or permanent loss of use of his hands or feet, nor does he have a severe burn injury. Therefore, he is ineligible for financial assistance for an automobile and adaptive equipment.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss was denied as the evidence did not show audiometric testing results warranting such a rating.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have caused him to need regular aid and attendance, leading to a grant of SMC based on the need for aid and attendance. The issue of entitlement to SMC at the housebound rate is dismissed as moot.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for COPD, bilateral foot disorder, bilateral hearing loss, and bilateral tinnitus due to pre-existing medical opinions that did not consider the Veteran's in-service exposure or symptoms.

The Board has denied service connection for right ear hearing loss and tinnitus, but has remanded the claim of left ear hearing loss. The Veteran's tinnitus is granted as likely related to service, while the claims for right ear hearing loss and left ear hearing loss are remanded due to a lack of consideration of the Veteran's lay reports regarding in-service noise exposure.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for special home adaptation as defined by VA regulations.

The rating reduction for the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss from 70 percent to noncompensable was proper due to clear and unmistakable error in the May 2019 rating decision.

The Veteran's tinnitus is granted as service connected, while his bilateral hearing loss and peripheral neuropathies are denied. Bilateral pes planus is granted.

The Board has granted service connection for left ear hearing loss but denied service connection for right ear hearing loss. The decision is based on the Veteran's in-service noise exposure and his current symptoms of hearing impairment.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss is likely due to noise exposure during his military service, and thus grants his claim for service connection.

The Veteran is granted SMC at the enhanced R-1 rate due to his need for regular assistance with activities of daily living and a total disability rating, including service-connected conditions such as Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and PTSD.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the evidence is at least evenly balanced as to whether these conditions are related to active service.

The Board has denied service connection for various conditions, including hearing loss of the left ear, sleep apnea, and respiratory insufficiency (dyspnea), among others. The Veteran's claims were not supported by sufficient evidence to establish a link between these conditions and his military service.