The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an initial increased disability rating higher than 10 percent for right ear hearing loss disability based on the results of a May 2023 VA audiometric test.
The deciding factor: The Board concluded that the evidence did not support a higher than 10 percent rating before January 25, 2024, as the Veteran's hearing impairment was accurately reflected by a 10 percent disability rating according to the criteria set forth in DC 6100.
- Claimed conditions
- right ear hearing loss disability
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 27, 2025
- Citation
- A25028542
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.
- Partly granted
The Board granted a 20 percent disability rating for left and right lower extremity radiculopathy from April 3, 2023 onward, but denied higher ratings prior to that date. Service connection was also granted for alcohol use disorder as secondary to PTSD with traumatic brain injury.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for hypogonadism with fatigue, GERD, and a right ear hearing loss disability. The Veteran's left rib disability was denied, and the ratings for his left shoulder injury, left hip bursitis, impairment of the left thigh, left knee retropatellar pain syndrome limitation of extension, and left ankle sprain were either granted or denied with specific rating percentages.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for right ear hearing loss, sinusitis, left restless leg syndrome, and right restless leg syndrome. The claims for chronic fatigue syndrome, dermatosis, sleep apnea, chronic headaches, an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include depressive disorder, were remanded.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for left shoulder pain, left upper extremity radicular pain, hypoesthesia, and paresthesia, left elbow pain, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), right ear hearing loss disability, and tinnitus.
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