The Veteran's claim for higher ratings and reduction of his disability rating for bilateral hearing loss was denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a compensable rating prior to March 26, 1997, or any rating greater than 10 percent from March 26, 1997 to June 16, 1998. A reduction in disability for service-connected hearing loss from 90 to 20 percent was found proper and supported by the evidence of record. The Veteran's claim for an extraschedular evaluation and TDIU was not addressed as it is considered part of his increased rating claim.
The deciding factor: The Board determined that the evidence did not support a compensable rating prior to March 26, 1997, or any rating greater than 10 percent from March 26, 1997 to June 16, 1998. The reduction in disability for service-connected hearing loss from 90 to 20 percent was found proper and supported by the evidence of record.
- Claimed conditions
- Bilateral Hearing Loss
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- September 22, 2011
- Citation
- 1135699
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 1135699.
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Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Granted
The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is granted as service-connected. The claims for alcohol abuse and psychiatric disorder are remanded for additional development, including a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of these conditions.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the case due to a need for a new VA examination to assess the current severity of the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss. The issue remains under direct service connection theory.
- Denied
The Veteran's hearing loss was rated at 30 percent, the highest non-compensable rating available. The Board found that his hearing loss did not warrant a higher rating based on VA examinations and medical records.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that there was no evidence of a nexus between his current hearing loss and his active service. The Board noted that while he had complaints of earaches in service, these did not indicate a current disability.
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