The Veteran's claim for increased ratings for bilateral hearing loss prior to March 8, 2018 and as of March 8, 2018 was denied. The Board found that the Veteran did not meet the criteria for a rating in excess of 0 percent prior to March 8, 2018, and that he met the criteria for a 30 percent rating as of March 8, 2018.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's hearing loss was rated based on the results of pure tone audiometry tests combined with speech discrimination test scores. The Board found that his hearing loss did not meet the criteria for a higher rating prior to March 8, 2018 and as of March 8, 2018.
- Claimed conditions
- bilateral hearing loss
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 6, 2019
- Citation
- 19184081
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.
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The Veteran withdrew the appeals for service connection for bilateral pes planus, obstructive sleep apnea, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for multiple conditions, including bilateral hearing loss and various musculoskeletal issues, as well as an initial rating in excess of 0 percent for rhinitis. However, the Board granted a 70 percent rating for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
- Partly granted
The Veteran's tinnitus is granted, while fibromyalgia, internal or external hemorrhoids, bilateral hearing loss, and neuropathy are denied.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding it at least as likely as not related to the Veteran's in-service noise exposure.
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