The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was consistently manifested by Level I hearing loss in both ears, and his lumbosacral spine degenerative joint disease did not meet the criteria for a higher evaluation. As such, an initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss is not warranted, and a 20 percent rating for lumbosacral spine degenerative joint disease remains unchanged.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's hearing loss was consistently at Level I, which corresponds to noncompensable ratings under the applicable VA criteria. For his lumbosacral spine condition, while he experienced flare-ups and pain, the combined range of motion did not meet the criteria for a higher rating due to the severity of his symptoms resulting in functional impairment.
- Claimed conditions
- bilateral hearing loss, lumbosacral spine degenerative joint disease
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 20%
- Decision date
- February 5, 2016
- Citation
- 1604411
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 1604411.
What this means for you
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What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeal for service connection of bilateral hearing loss and a ruptured right ear drum was dismissed due to the death of the Veteran.
- Denied
The Board found that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was noted upon entry into active duty service and did not increase in severity during service. Therefore, it denied his claim for service connection.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for bilateral hearing loss, migraine headaches, and PTSD due to additional development of records and examination.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss claim, specifically needing an addendum opinion from a VA examiner. The Veteran will be asked to provide any missing records and former employers' information.
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