Hearing Loss

No hearing impairment ratable under Table VI (38 CFR § 4.85). Puretone threshold average and speech discrimination scores fall within normal limits bilaterally, or; hearing impairment in one ear only meets Roman Numeral I on Table VI and the other ear is within normal limits, resulting in a non-compensable (0%) rating per Table VII.

Hearing impairment rated on Table VI (38 CFR § 4.85) yields a combined Roman Numeral II–III result in one ear with the other ear at level I or better, producing a 10% combined rating per Table VII. Typically corresponds to moderate hearing loss in the better ear with speech discrimination scores of 76–92%.

Hearing impairment producing a combined Roman Numeral result of III–IV in one ear, with the other ear at II–III, yielding a 20% rating per Table VII. Typically corresponds to moderate-to-moderately-severe hearing loss with speech discrimination scores of 60–76%.

Hearing impairment producing a combined Roman Numeral result in both ears that yields a 30% rating per Table VII. Typically corresponds to moderately-severe to severe hearing loss bilaterally with speech discrimination scores of 44–60%.

Hearing impairment producing a combined Roman Numeral result that yields a 40% rating per Table VII. Typically corresponds to severe bilateral hearing loss with speech discrimination scores of 30–44%.

Hearing impairment producing a combined Roman Numeral result that yields a 50% rating per Table VII. Typically corresponds to severe-to-profound bilateral hearing loss with speech discrimination scores of 14–30%.

Hearing impairment producing a combined Roman Numeral result that yields a 60% rating per Table VII. Typically corresponds to profound bilateral hearing loss with speech discrimination scores of 0–14% in both ears.

Hearing impairment producing a combined Roman Numeral result that yields a 70% rating per Table VII. Corresponds to profound bilateral hearing loss approaching deafness, with near-zero speech discrimination bilaterally.

Hearing impairment producing a combined Roman Numeral result that yields an 80% rating per Table VII. Corresponds to near-total deafness with zero or near-zero speech discrimination in both ears.

Hearing impairment producing a combined Roman Numeral result that yields a 90% rating per Table VII. Corresponds to functional deafness with zero speech discrimination bilaterally and puretone thresholds in the severe-profound range (greater than 90 dB HL) in both ears.

Hearing impairment producing a combined Roman Numeral result of XI in both ears per Table VI, yielding a 100% rating per Table VII. Corresponds to complete bilateral deafness with zero speech discrimination (0%) and puretone threshold averages of 100 dB HL or greater in both ears.