Hearing loss: VA claim review preparation
Separate evidence connecting the hearing loss to service from the testing VA uses to evaluate its severity.

Start with the notice
- Keep the complete decision notice, the reasons for each denied issue, favorable findings, evidence list, and instructions for review. Separate a denied service connection from a dispute about the percentage or effective date.
- Mark which disputed fact each record addresses. For an HLR, point to evidence already in the record; a Supplemental Claim requires new and relevant evidence. Verify the available lane before sending anything.
- Keep a copy of the form, attachments and filing receipt. These preparation notes do not file a claim or establish that VA received it.

Condition-specific records to gather
- Collect available service and later audiology reports, plus the VA examination and opinion cited in the denial.
- Identify relevant service noise or injury and the dates you or others noticed hearing difficulties. Keep personal observations distinct from test results.
- Ask an audiologist or accredited representative whether the testing and report address the reason for denial. Describe functional effects such as understanding speech or workplace communication.

A consumer hearing screen or your description alone does not establish a VA percentage. VA lists its Hearing Loss and Tinnitus DBQ among those unavailable for public use.

Notes for you and your representative:
Disputed issue:
Record / date / what it addresses:
Missing information:
Next step and filing receipt:

U.S. federal VA benefits. Educational preparation, not medical or legal advice; not a VA form or a filing. Keep your completed copy private. A historical Board outcome does not predict your result.
Official sources reviewed 2026-10-07:
VA: evidence needed for a disability claim: https://www.va.gov/disability/how-to-file-claim/evidence-needed/
VA: public Disability Benefits Questionnaires and their limits: https://www.benefits.va.gov/compensation/dbq_publicdbqs.asp
https://www.veterans-rights.com/appeal-options
https://www.veterans-rights.com/deadlines
https://www.veterans-rights.com/find-a-rep