Ear

DC 6209

Benign neoplasms of the ear (other than skin only)

Educational use only. Not legal or medical advice. Read 38 CFR §4.87 on eCFR
Diagnostic Code
6209
CFR Section
§4.87 — Ear
No rating criteria available for this code yet.

What Raters Look For

Based on M21-1 adjudication criteria for Ear conditions. These are the factors a VA rater evaluates when assigning a rating percentage.

M21-1 III.iv.4.J
  • •Audiogram results: pure-tone average thresholds (500, 1000, 2000, 3000 Hz) for each ear
  • •Speech recognition (discrimination) score percentage for each ear
  • •Tinnitus — whether documented as a separate diagnosis and its impact on sleep and concentration
  • •Hearing aid use and whether aids are worn in one or both ears
  • •Impact on speech communication, occupational function, and daily life
  • •Other ear conditions: otitis media, cholesteatoma, labyrinthine dysfunction, vertigo
NoteHearing loss and tinnitus are rated separately under different diagnostic codes. Tinnitus (DC 6260) is rated at a single 10% regardless of severity.