Hearing Impairment
6100 Hearing Loss (Hearing Impairment)
IMPORTANT NOTES:
The VA considers BOTH ears when assigning a rating for hearing loss. As such, the Veteran CANNOT get single rating for each ear.
If an ear is NOT service connected it is considered to be 100% PERFECT working order for rating purposes! (unless special conditions are meet, see special note at bottom of schedule)
If the examiner does NOT test one ear (no results for one ear), the rater is instructed to assume that the untested ear is in 100% PERFECT working order!
In case the examiner forgets to tell you: REMOVE your hearing aids BEFORE you start the examination!
Depending on your MOS and/or Combat experiences, your claim of hearing loss may be given additional weight for consideration for service-connection. Which is not to say, if your MOS is not considered at high risk for noise exposure or that you did not see combat that you cannot get service connection.
In order to get a proper rating the audiologist conducting the Examination will conduct two tests to determine your hearing loss.
Speech discrimination - your ability to understand spoken words. Your examiner will say a word and you repeat it.
Your responses are then calculated as a percentage (higher percent, meaning better hearing).
Puretone audiometry test - your ability to hear tones. You will sit in a box and press a button when you hear a tone.
The tones the VA cares about are 4000, 3000, 2000, and 1000Hz. The results from those tones (how loud the tone had to be before you heard it) are then added together and divided by 4 to give you your average. The lower the number is, the better your hearing is.
PRESUMPTIVE CONDITION:
Hearing loss is considered a Presumptive condition if it manifests within one year of separation, and rates at least 10%.
NOTE:
If you have disabilities that make it impossible/difficult to complete the speech discrimination test you will be rated based on just the puretone test results.
Rating Schedule for The Ear
For those with hearing related issues. The inner ear also plays an important role in keeping your balance.
Puretone and speech discrimination table
Using the results of both tests the VA will the following table then determine the severity of your hearing loss for each ear:
NOTES:
The Roman numerals are purely to help improve readability.
The higher the numeral, the worse the hearing is.
| Puretone Threshold Average → | 0-41 | 42-49 | 50-57 | 58-65 | 66-73 | 74-81 | 82-89 | 90-97 | 98+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| % of Discrimination ↓ | |||||||||
| 92-100 | I | I | I | II | II | II | III | III | IV |
| 84-90 | II | II | II | III | III | III | IV | IV | IV |
| 76-82 | III | III | IV | IV | IV | V | V | V | V |
| 68-74 | IV | IV | V | V | VI | VI | VII | VII | VII |
| 60-66 | V | V | VI | VI | VII | VII | VIII | VIII | VIII |
| 52-58 | VI | VI | VII | VII | VIII | VIII | VIII | VIII | IX |
| 44-50 | VII | VII | VIII | VIII | VIII | IX | IX | IX | X |
| 36-42 | VIII | VIII | VIII | IX | IX | IX | X | X | X |
| 0-34 | IX | X | XI | XI | XI | XI | XI | XI | XI |
Puretone only table
If only the puretone test was done. The following table will be used to determine the severity of the Veteran's hearing loss for each ear:
| Puretone Threshold Average → | 0-41 | 42-48 | 49-55 | 56-62 | 63-69 | 70-76 | 77-83 | 84-90 | 91-97 | 98-104 | 105+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roman Numerals → | I | II | III | IV | V | VI | VII | VIII | IX | X | XI |
Rating Table
Now that you have evaluated the hearing in BOTH ears you can finally use the rating table to determine your evaluation!
*Veteran is entitled to Special Monthly Compensation.
As you can see, if you have one good ear or a decent one, your rating will be greatly affected!
IMPORTANT NOTE:
You MUST have hearing loss that meets one of the following criteria to rate at least 0%, otherwise you do NOT have hearing loss of VA purposes:
Auditory threshold in any of the frequencies 500, 1000, 2000, 3000, 4000 Hertz is 40 decibels or greater;
Auditory thresholds for at least three of the frequencies 500, 1000, 2000, 3000, or 4000 Hertz are 26 decibels or greater; or
Speech recognition scores are less than 94 percent.
SPECIAL NOTE:
If one ear is service-connected and the other ear is not. The VA CAN consider the non service-connected ear as service-connected for the purposes of determining an evaluation so long as:
The non service-connected ear was NOT due willful misconduct;
The non service-connected ear has hearing loss for VA purposes; AND
The service-connected ear rates at least 10% by itself.
Common Secondary condition
| Worst Ear → | I |
II | III | IV | V | VI |
VII | VIII | IX | X | XI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best Ear ↓ | |||||||||||
| I | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 10% | 10% |
| II | 0% | 0% | 0% | 10% | 10% | 10% | 10% | 10% | 10% | 10% | |
| III | 0% | 10% | 10% | 10% | 20% | 20% | 20% | 20% | 20% | ||
| IV | 10% | 10% | 20% | 20% | 20% | 30% | 30% | 30% | |||
| V | 20% | 20% | 30% | 30% | 40% | 40% | 40% | ||||
| VI | 30% | 30% | 40% | 40% | 50% | 50% | |||||
| VII | 40% | 40% | 50% | 60% | 60% | ||||||
| VIII | 50% | 50% | 60% | 70% | |||||||
| IX | 60% | 70% | 80% | ||||||||
| X | 80% | 90% | |||||||||
| XI | 100%* |
Diseases of the Ear
6200 Chronic Suppurative Otitis Media (CSOM), Mastoiditis, or Cholesteatoma
CSOM - usually caused by a bacterial infection of the middle ear.
Mastoiditis - infection that affects the mastoid bone, located in the middle ear.
Cholesteatoma - abnormal skin growth or skin cyst that are located behind the eardrum, or the bone behind the ear.
PYRAMIDING NOTE:
The Veteran can only receive a singular rating, even if they have two or all of the above conditions.
Common Secondary conditions
| Rating | Description |
|---|---|
| 10% | Pus or blood comes out of the ear due to suppuration or growths of aural polyps. |
6201 Chronic Nonsuppurative Otitis Media with Effusion (OME, Serous Otitis media)
Bacterial infection of the middle ear that causes fluid buildup in the middle ear, but the eardrum does not rupture.
Rated based on Hearing loss.
6202 Otosclerosis
Abnormal growth of bone of the MIDDLE ear. This bone prevents structures within the ear from working properly and causes hearing loss.
Rated based on Hearing loss.
6207 Loss of Outer Ear - Partial or Complete (Loss of Auricle, Loss of Pinna)
Common Secondary conditions
| Rating | Description |
|---|---|
| 10% | Loss of 1/3rd or more of 1 ear. |
| 30% | Complete loss of 1 ear. |
| 50% | Complete loss of both ears. |
6211 Ruptured Eardrum (Perforated Eardrum, Tympanic Membrane Perforation)
Eardrum is torn or has a hole in it.
Common Secondary condition
| Rating | Description |
|---|---|
| 0% | Chronic condition exists. |
6260 Ringing in the Ears (Tinnitus)
The ringing can come and go, be constant, be really loud or soft.
IMPORTANT NOTE:
The Veteran can only get a singular rating - no matter if there is tinnitus in one or both ears.
PRESUMPTIVE CONDITION:
Tinnitus is considered a Presumptive condition if it manifests within one year of separation.
NOTE:
If the Veteran somehow has a condition that is actually causing an audible ringing in the ears that can be heard by others, then the Veteran CANNOT get a rated under tinnitus. It would be rated under whatever is causing the ringing.
Yeah, odd I know. But it must have happened at least once since it is noted in the schedule.
Commonly rated together
Common Secondary conditions
| Rating | Description |
|---|---|
| 10% | Condition exists. |
Balance Disorders
6204 Peripheral Vestibular Disorders (PVD)
Conditions that affect the ears’ ability to sense balance.
Symptoms include:
Dizziness - sensation or perception of unsteadiness, imbalance, or potential unconsciousness
Vertigo - sensation or perception you/or objects are spinning or moving
Motion sickness
IMPORTANT NOTE:
In order to be rated at least 10% under this schedule the Veteran's condition MUST be diagnosed via some form of objective testing, NOT just the Veteran's subjective reports of dizziness!
| Rating | Description |
|---|---|
| 10% | Occasional dizziness. |
| 30% | Dizziness so severe that it causes occasional staggering when walking. |
6205 Meniere’s Syndrome (Endolymphatic Hydrops)
An inner ear disorder that causes episodes of vertigo (spinning).
Symptoms include:
Dizziness - sensation or perception of unsteadiness, imbalance, or potential unconsciousness
Hearing loss
Tinnitus
Vertigo - sensation or perception you/or objects are spinning or moving
PYRAMIDING NOTE:
This condition can be rated one of two ways, depending on which produces the highest combined rating for the Veteran:
One rating under this schedule; OR
Up to three individual ratings for: Hearing loss, Tinnitus, Peripheral vestibular disorder. The (up to 3) ratings are then combined to determine if they would be higher than the rating under this schedule. If it is a higher result with them being combined, the rater will award the (up to 3) separate evaluations. For information on how the VA combines evaluations click HERE.
| Rating | Description |
|---|---|
| 30% | Hearing impairment with episodes of dizziness less than once a month, with or without tinnitus. |
| 60% | Hearing impairment with episodes of dizziness AND staggering while walking occurring 1-4 times a month, with or without tinnitus. |
| 100% | Hearing impairment with episodes of dizziness AND staggering while walking occurring more than once a week, with or without tinnitus. |
Cancer and Tumors
NOTE:
The following schedules are for cancers and tumors involving the inner bits of the ear.
If there are cancers and tumors that are affecting the skin of the ear itself it will be rated under the Skin schedule.
6209 Tumor (Benign Neoplasm)
Has no rating in and of itself.
However, if the Veteran suffers chronic conditions due to the presence of the tumor(s) or any treatments used to deal with them, those conditions may be rated.
Disability Benefits Questionnaire (DBQs)
To get an idea of how a C&P exam will be conducted it is recommended that the Veteran look at the applicable DBQ.
Veterans may ask an audiologist to complete a DBQ on their behalf to submit with their claim. For more information on DBQs click HERE.
Note:
For whatever reason the VA has NOT released to the public the hearing loss/tinnitus DBQ.
Having Trouble Finding Your Condition?
Click HERE to view the Master Condition List.