The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is now rated at 40 percent effective November 22, 2017. His status post left mastoidectomy with ossicular chain reconstruction and status post left tympanoplasty, and right tympanoplasty with ossicular chain reconstruction are both currently rated as noncompensable.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's hearing loss improved to a level that warranted a higher rating beginning November 22, 2017.
- Claimed conditions
- Bilateral Hearing Loss, Status Post Left Mastoidectomy with Ossicular Chain Reconstruction, Status Post Left Tympanoplasty, and Right Tympanoplasty with Ossicular Chain Reconstruction
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 40%
- Decision date
- September 15, 2020
- Citation
- 20060713
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 20060713.
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 Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is granted as service-connected. The claims for alcohol abuse and psychiatric disorder are remanded for additional development, including a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of these conditions.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the case due to a need for a new VA examination to assess the current severity of the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss. The issue remains under direct service connection theory.
- Denied
The Veteran's hearing loss was rated at 30 percent, the highest non-compensable rating available. The Board found that his hearing loss did not warrant a higher rating based on VA examinations and medical records.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that there was no evidence of a nexus between his current hearing loss and his active service. The Board noted that while he had complaints of earaches in service, these did not indicate a current disability.
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