The Board has denied service connection for right and left ear hearing loss, finding no evidence of current disability. Service connection for tinnitus is granted.,Service connection for low back, hemorrhoids, right ankle, right hip, and left knee disabilities are remanded due to a duty-to-assist error.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's service treatment records showed complaints and treatment for low back pain, hemorrhoids, a right ankle injury, right hip pain, and a left knee injury. However, the evidence of record does not support current diagnoses of these conditions.,VA is required to provide a VA medical examination when there is competent evidence of a current disability or persistent/recurrent symptoms of a disability; evidence establishing that an event, injury, or disease occurred in service; and indication that the disability may be associated with the Veteran's service. The Veteran has not been diagnosed with these conditions.
- Claimed conditions
- Right Ear Hearing Loss, Left Ear Hearing Loss, Tinnitus
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 18, 2026
- Citation
- A26014610
This is a plain-language summary generated by AI from a public Board of Veterans’ Appeals decision. It can contain errors — always verify against the original. Look up the original decision on VA.gov (opens in a new tab) using citation A26014610.
What this means for you
A partial grant means some issues were granted while others were denied or remanded — common in multi-issue claims. Look at which issues went which way, and how each was argued.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are not related to his military service.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for a higher rating for PTSD and dismissed his appeals regarding increased ratings for tinnitus and a right hand disability due to lack of timely filing of Notice of Disagreement.
- Denied
The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including GAD, MDD, bruxism, migraines/headaches, tinnitus, hip pain, iliotibial band syndrome, and leg stress fractures. The evidence does not support current diagnoses of these conditions during the appeal period.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including bilateral pes planus with hammer toes, hallux valgus and degenerative arthritis, sleep apnea, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and bilateral kidney cysts, rendered him unable to secure or follow gainful employment. The Board granted the TDIU based on these conditions.
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