38 CFR § 3.385 - Disability due to impaired hearing.
---
identifier: "/us/cfr/t38/s3.385"
source: "ecfr"
legal_status: "authoritative_unofficial"
title: "38 CFR § 3.385 - Disability due to impaired hearing."
title_number: 38
title_name: "Pensions, Bonuses, and Veterans' Relief"
section_number: "3.385"
section_name: "Disability due to impaired hearing."
chapter_name: "DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS"
part_number: "3"
part_name: "ADJUDICATION"
positive_law: false
currency: "2026-03-24"
last_updated: "2026-03-24"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
cfr_part: "3"
---
# 3.385 Disability due to impaired hearing.
For the purposes of applying the laws administered by VA, impaired hearing will be considered to be a disability when the auditory threshold in any of the frequencies 500, 1000, 2000, 3000, 4000 Hertz is 40 decibels or greater; or when the auditory thresholds for at least three of the frequencies 500, 1000, 2000, 3000, or 4000 Hertz are 26 decibels or greater; or when speech recognition scores using the Maryland CNC Test are less than 94 percent.
[59 FR 60560, Nov. 25, 1994]