Hearing loss decisions — 2026

The Veteran's claims for increased rating of right little finger disability and service connection for pseudofolliculitis barbae were denied. The claim for bilateral hearing loss is remanded due to missing private treatment records.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating prior to April 13, 2021, and a rating greater than 10 percent after that date is denied. The evidence does not support the need for higher ratings.

The Board has remanded the claims for bilateral hearing loss, flat feet of the left foot, and flat feet of the right foot due to a duty-to-assist error in the initial decision. The Veteran's service connection claims are being reviewed again.

The Veteran's other specified trauma and stressor related disorder is rated at 70 percent, which is the maximum rating available under the applicable criteria.,The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is currently rated at 10 percent. The Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted based on the evidence of record.,The Veteran's hypertension does not meet the criteria for a compensable disability rating.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including insomnia, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus, prevent him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation. The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for TDIU based on these conditions.

The Board has dismissed the claims of service connection for Right Hip Disability, Right Shoulder Disability, and Sleep Apnea due to their concurrent withdrawal. The claim of service connection for Bilateral Hearing Loss is remanded for readjudication.

The Board has denied service connection for hearing loss and remanded the issues of right ankle injury pain, laceration left side of head, cervical spine injury, and lumbar spine injury due to a lack of current disability evidence and duty-to-assist errors.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a chronic back condition, headaches, and bilateral hearing loss because new and relevant evidence had not been received.

The Veteran's hearing acuity approximates level I hearing loss in the right ear and level II hearing loss in the left ear, resulting in a noncompensable disability rating for bilateral hearing loss.

The Board has remanded the claim for bilateral hearing loss due to insufficient medical opinions and consideration of lay statements regarding the onset of hearing problems.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date and increased rating for bilateral hearing loss is denied. The Veteran currently has a 40 percent rating for his bilateral hearing loss, which was granted on September 18, 2020.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's preexisting right ear hearing loss worsened during and subsequent to service, thus granting service connection for right ear hearing loss on an aggravation basis.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss, finding that both conditions had their onset during active military service.

The Veteran's tinnitus and hearing loss are granted as service-connected, with the tinnitus being directly related to his military service and the hearing loss secondary to his service-connected tinnitus.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran experienced continuous symptoms since service separation and there is sufficient evidence to establish a link between in-service noise exposure and current disabilities.

The Veteran's hearing impairment was evaluated as Level I in both ears, resulting in a noncompensable rating for bilateral hearing loss. The appeal is denied.

The Veteran's appeal for an earlier effective date for service connection of bilateral hearing loss has been withdrawn. The Board also remanded the issues of increased evaluation for bilateral hearing loss and TDIU.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for tinnitus service connection is denied.,The Veteran's claim for a higher disability rating for tinnitus is denied.

The Veteran's initial claim for left ear hearing loss was denied, and he is seeking an increased rating.,The Veteran's right ear hearing loss claim has been denied.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss as there is no valid claim due to a lack of diagnosis by a medical professional.