The Veteran meets the schedular criteria for a total rating based on unemployability due to service-connected disability, as his combined disability evaluation is at least 60 percent. The Board finds that he is precluded from employment in a field for which his education and prior work experience would qualify him, and that he is unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation as a result of the limitations imposed by his service-connected hearing loss and tinnitus.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's combined disability evaluation (bilateral hearing loss rated at 50% and tinnitus rated at 10%) meets the schedular criteria for a total rating based on unemployability due to service-connected disability, as it is at least 60 percent. The evidence indicates that his severe hearing impairment makes him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment.
- Claimed conditions
- Bilateral Hearing Loss, Tinnitus
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 60%
- Decision date
- August 24, 2015
- Citation
- 1536065
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 1536065.
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.
- 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.
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