Hearing loss decisions — 2026

The Board dismissed the appeals because the Veteran died during the appeal process and there is no indication of substitution by an eligible person.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection have been denied. The initial non-compensable ratings assigned for the conditions are upheld.

The Board has decided that the Veteran does not have a currently diagnosed hearing loss disability in his right ear for VA purposes, and therefore service connection for right ear hearing loss is denied. The issue of left ear hearing loss is remanded due to insufficient medical evidence.

The Board has remanded the case for further adjudication of the appellant's claims for accrued benefits due to her testimony regarding good cause. The Veteran had pending service connection claims at the time of his death.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened due to the submission of new and relevant evidence. Service connection is granted for PTSD, OSA, bilateral hearing loss, neck disability, right shoulder disability, right middle finger disability, right ankle disability, and left leg disability.,The Board has determined that the Veteran's current disabilities are related to his service or service-connected conditions.

The Board has determined that new and relevant evidence has been received regarding the Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus. The claims are remanded to allow for a new VA examination.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, hypertension, nasal congestion, and sinusitis as the evidence is not persuasive that these conditions are related to service.,Service records do not show any complaints or treatment for hearing loss, tinnitus, hypertension, nasal congestion, or sinusitis during active duty. The Veteran's current diagnoses were first noted after separation from service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss has been dismissed.,Service connection for a right ankle disability, including as secondary to service-connected left knee and left ankle disabilities, was denied. The case is remanded for further evaluation of the left knee disability.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating in excess of 90 percent for service-connected bilateral hearing loss is denied as his hearing acuity does not warrant a higher evaluation.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea is dismissed as the appeal has been granted. The claims for bilateral hearing loss, left hand condition, right hand condition, and muscle pain are denied due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to military service. The claims for left knee strain, right knee strain, and left shoulder condition are remanded for further review.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that the Veteran's in-service acoustic trauma caused permanent nerve damage resulting in current sensorineural hearing loss.

The Board has determined that the appellant does not have a current diagnosis of bilateral hearing loss, and thus, service connection for this condition is denied.,For tinnitus, the Board found no evidence of chronicity in service or within one year after separation. The examiner opined that the appellant's tinnitus was not incurred during his service.

The Board has dismissed the appeal due to the Veteran's death, and no one is eligible for substitution.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for bilateral hearing loss was dismissed due to a procedural defect in the docketing of the appeal.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability has been rated at 0 percent since March 2018. The Board found that the current rating is appropriate based on the audiometric test results, which did not meet the criteria for a higher rating.

The Veteran's right shoulder tendonitis and bilateral hearing loss disabilities have been rated, but the Board found that neither condition warranted an increased rating.

The Board has denied the claims for service connection for depression, bipolar disorder, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, right hip disability, left hip disability, and right knee disability as new and relevant evidence was not received.

The Board has decided that the Veteran does not have current bilateral hearing loss for VA compensation purposes and denied service connection for this condition. The low back disorder issue is remanded due to a duty to assist error.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection and increased rating due to incomplete medical records, lack of nexus opinions, and need for further examination.

The Veteran's tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss are granted as service-connected. The Board found that the Veteran's current conditions are linked to his military service, resolving all reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran.