The Board has determined that the Veteran's hearing loss disability picture is more nearly approximated by a numeric designation of hearing impairment based on pure tone threshold average and speech discrimination scores no worse than Level V in both ears since January 21, 2010. Therefore, a 20 percent rating for bilateral hearing loss is granted effective from that date.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's testimony at his January 2010 video conference hearing supported the need for another VA examination to assess the severity of his service-connected hearing loss disability since he indicated it had worsened since his last VA examination in July 2008. The audiometric results from the July 2011 VA examination showed a more severe level of hearing impairment than what was represented by the initial 10 percent rating assigned.
- Claimed conditions
- Hearing Loss
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 20%
- Decision date
- September 5, 2014
- Citation
- 1439739
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 1439739.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board agreed the veteran was entitled to the benefit. Decisions like this show the kind of evidence and arguments that tend to succeed for claims like it.
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 service connection for hearing loss as there is no current diagnosis of a bilateral hearing disability for VA purposes, and the Veteran did not have a hearing loss disability at any time during or recent to the filing of his claim.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, asthma, and foot conditions, rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation consistent with his education and work history throughout the appeal period.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for hearing loss as there is no current diagnosis of a disability that meets VA's criteria for a disability.
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