The Hearing Loss DBQ is unusual: there are almost no “magic words” because the rating is computed from objective test numbers, not your narrative. Two tests do all the work, and they feed two lookup tables that spit out a percentage. Your job is not to describe your hearing — it is to make sure the right tests were done correctly. Hearing loss is rated under 38 CFR § 4.85, Diagnostic Code 6100.
The two tests that decide everything
1. The puretone audiogram
The examiner measures the quietest tone you can hear (your threshold, in decibels) at four frequencies: 1000, 2000, 3000, and 4000 Hz. The average of those four is your puretone threshold average for each ear.
2. The Maryland CNC speech-discrimination test
The examiner scores the percentage of words you repeat correctly from the standardized Maryland CNC word list. The VA requires this specific test — a different speech-recognition test does not satisfy the rating schedule. This is the single biggest thing to verify about your exam.
How the tables turn numbers into a rating
The VA takes your puretone average and your Maryland CNC score into Table VI of § 4.85, which produces a Roman numeral (I through XI) for each ear — higher numeral, worse hearing. Then Table VII cross-references the two ears’ numerals to produce the percentage rating (0–100%). It is pure lookup — no judgment, no narrative.
Why hearing loss so often rates 0% (and why you still file)
The DC 6100 tables are strict. Real, measurable hearing loss frequently converts to 0%. That is not a denial — it is a service-connected 0% grant, and it is valuable:
Documents the condition, locks your effective date, and can be increased as your hearing declines (and noise-induced loss usually does).
The audiogram numbers crossed the Table VII threshold. Higher tiers follow worse measured loss.
Skipping the hearing-loss claim because “it’ll just be 0%” throws away the future-increase play. File it, keep the grant, and reopen it if your hearing worsens.
Does your loss even “count” as a disability?
Under 38 CFR § 3.385, hearing loss is a disability for VA purposes when the auditory threshold is 40 dB or more at any one frequency (500–4000 Hz), or 26 dB or more at three of those frequencies, or the Maryland CNC speech-recognition score is less than 94%. If your audiogram does not meet § 3.385, the VA may find no ratable hearing loss yet — another reason to file early and reopen as it progresses.
The only “magic words”: verify the exam
Magic words for this tier
Confirm at (or after) your audiology C&P exam:
- “Was the Maryland CNC word list used for speech discrimination?”
- “Were thresholds measured at 1000, 2000, 3000, and 4000 Hz?”
- “Did the examiner consider § 4.86 for my high-frequency pattern?”
If the wrong speech test was used, or required frequencies were missing, the exam is inadequate and you can request a new one through a Supplemental Claim. Request a copy of your DBQ from your VA record after the decision and check the numbers against the tables.
What NOT to do
What NOT to say
- Don’t skip the claim because you expect 0% — the 0% grant protects your effective date.
- Don’t forget to claim tinnitus at the same time — it is a separate flat 10% under DC 6260 and is examined in the same appointment.
- Don’t guess at your numbers — the audiogram is objective; bring any private audiology results you already have.
- Don’t accept an exam that used a non-Maryland-CNC speech test — that alone can be reversible error.
Use this with the rest of the site
- ▸ Tinnitus condition guide — the full rating schedule, evidence checklist, and tactical plays.
- ▸ C&P Exam Prep generator — builds a personalized checklist for your specific conditions.
- ▸ Claim Coach — walks you through the 10 steps including C&P prep at Step 7.
- ▸ Full C&P exam guide — the universal say/don’t-say rules that apply to every exam.
Educational content only. DBQ structures are public knowledge from M21-1 and archived sources; VA discontinued public DBQ distribution in 2020 but the rating criteria these forms map to remain in 38 CFR Part 4. Not legal or medical advice. Always consult a VA-accredited VSO or attorney for claim-specific guidance. CFR citations: 38 CFR § 4.85 (Tables VI and VII, Diagnostic Code 6100), § 4.86 (exceptional patterns of hearing impairment), § 3.385 (definition of hearing-loss disability), § 4.87 DC 6260 (tinnitus). Maryland CNC speech-discrimination requirement per § 4.85(a)..