The Board found that the Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss disability is manifested by pure tone thresholds in four frequencies from 1000 to 4000 Hertz, averaging no more than 36 decibels in the right ear and no more than 41 decibels in the left ear. This corresponds to Level I hearing in both ears, warranting a noncompensable (zero percent) evaluation under VA's rating schedule.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability is manifested by pure tone thresholds that do not meet the criteria for an exceptional pattern of hearing impairment or any other factors warranting an extra-schedular rating.
- Claimed conditions
- bilateral hearing loss
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 10%
- Decision date
- April 18, 2017
- Citation
- 1712516
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 1712516.
What this means for you
A denial is a starting point, not the end of the road. You can see why this claim fell short — and, if you are still inside the one-year window, the appeal lanes that may remain open to you.
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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