The Board has determined that a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss prior to April 18, 2018 is denied. However, the Board granted a 10 percent rating for bilateral hearing loss effective from April 18, 2018.
The deciding factor: The VA examinations conducted during the period on appeal showed that the appellant had no worse than Level IV hearing loss in both ears prior to April 18, 2018. After April 18, 2018, the appellant's hearing acuity improved slightly, but remained at Level IV in both ears.
- Claimed conditions
- Bilateral Hearing Loss
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 10%
- Decision date
- January 23, 2020
- Citation
- 20004448
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.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's conditions are related to in-service noise exposure.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss, an initial rating in excess of 50 percent for PTSD, entitlement to TDIU, and SMC based on housebound status.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for asbestosis, bronchitis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), rhinitis, sinusitis, and asthma. The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was also denied a compensable rating.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for various disabilities and denied higher ratings for several service-connected conditions.
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