The Board granted a 10 percent rating for bilateral hearing loss from February 7, 2015 to June 20, 2020 and a 30 percent rating from June 21, 2020 to April 10, 2021, but denied an initial compensable rating from June 3, 2014 to February 6, 2015 and a rating in excess of 30 percent from April 11, 2021. The appeal for a total disability rating due to individual unemployability was dismissed.
The deciding factor: The evidence did not support an initial compensable rating or a higher rating at any point during the appeals period, and the Veteran's hearing loss was characterized by levels that corresponded to the assigned ratings under VA's rating schedule.
- Claimed conditions
- Bilateral hearing loss
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 25, 2024
- Citation
- 24003712
What this means for you
A partial grant means some issues were granted while others were denied or remanded — common in multi-issue claims. Look at which issues went which way, and how each was argued.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, as there was no evidence of a current disability in the right ear and insufficient evidence to establish a nexus between the left ear hearing loss and service.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the matter for a medical clarification regarding whether the Veteran's service-connected epilepsy has aggravated his bilateral hearing loss.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss to obtain an addendum opinion addressing the Veteran's lay statements regarding in-service acoustic trauma and a rocket blast injury.
- Partly granted
The Board granted an effective date of May 17, 2019, for a 70 percent disability rating for PTSD but denied earlier effective dates for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus.
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