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Definition of Hearing Loss

Per 38 C.F.R. § 3.385, impaired hearing is considered a disability for VA purposes when:

• the auditory threshold in any of the frequencies 500, 1000, 2000, 3000, or 4000 Hertz (Hz) is 40 decibels or greater;
• the auditory thresholds for at least three of the frequencies 500, 1000, 2000, 3000, or 4000 Hz are 26 decibels or greater; or
• speech recognition scores using the Maryland Consonant-Vowel Nucleus-Consonant (CNC) Test are less than 94 percent.

See VA Adjudication Manual, M21-1MR, V.iii.2.B.2.b. Regulatory Definition of Impaired Hearing.

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DO NOT WEAR HEARING AID DURING COMP & PEN EXAM

Examinations for hearing impairment are to be conducted without the use of hearing aids, as directed in 38 CFR 4.85(a). See VA Adjudication Manual, M21-1MR, V.iii.2.B.2.g. Evaluating Unaided Hearing Acuity.

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Rating Hearing Loss %

<aside> <img src="https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/secure.notion-static.com/802bdcc9-ff08-4473-b7da-77db10ce458b/CFR_Regulations.png" alt="https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/secure.notion-static.com/802bdcc9-ff08-4473-b7da-77db10ce458b/CFR_Regulations.png" width="40px" /> Impairment of Auditory Acuity

4.85 - Evaluation of Hearing Impairment

4.86 - Exceptional Patterns of Hearing Impairment

4.87 - Schedule of Ratings - Ear

4.87a - Schedule of Ratings - Other Sense Organs

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<aside> <img src="https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/secure.notion-static.com/5e68154f-5b9d-4be4-910e-08d70177e4a4/bindersonshelf.png" alt="https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/secure.notion-static.com/5e68154f-5b9d-4be4-910e-08d70177e4a4/bindersonshelf.png" width="40px" /> Resources

MOS Sheet

Tinnitus (6260)

Attacking the Comp & Pen Exam

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💬 Advocacy Advice 💬

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If only ONE EAR is Service-Connected

If impaired hearing is service-connected in only one ear, in order to determine the percentage evaluation from Table VII, the non-service-connected ear will be assigned a Roman Numeral designation for hearing impairment of I, subject to the provisions of § 3.383 of this chapter.

Takeaway: So if someone is only rated for one ear for hearing loss, the highest they can possible get for that ear is 10%.

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