The Veteran's appeal for initial compensable ratings for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus was denied. The Board found that the Veteran's hearing loss is rated at Level I, which corresponds to a noncompensable rating, and his tinnitus is already at its maximum schedular rating of 10 percent.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's hearing loss and tinnitus were evaluated based on VA audiometric examination results and applicable rating criteria. The mechanical application of the rating schedule did not yield an initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss, as it was rated at Level I. For tinnitus, the maximum schedular rating (10%) is already assigned.
- Claimed conditions
- bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 9, 2020
- Citation
- A20015413
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,446 · Granted: 21% (granted or partly granted, in the vetted decisions on this site)
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
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 A20015413.
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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