The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for bilateral hearing loss and his TDIU claim due to service-connected disabilities were both denied by the Board. The Veteran had bilateral hearing loss rated at 50% and tinnitus rated at 10%. His combined disability rating was 60%, meeting the criteria for consideration of TDIU, but he did not meet the requirement of having one disability rated at least 40% disabling.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were found to be of such severity that they precluded him from securing or following any form of substantially gainful employment. However, his combined rating was only 60%, which did not meet the requirement for TDIU under VA regulations.
- Claimed conditions
- bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 50%
- Decision date
- September 29, 2017
- Citation
- 1743631
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 1743631.
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 service connection for hearing loss, tinnitus, and an acquired psychiatric disorder due to incomplete medical records and need for further examination.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for tinnitus, arthritis, and memory loss. The decision found no evidence linking these conditions to his military service.
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