Hearing Loss Rated at 0%

[maingun]

So I jumped through all the hoops with the C&P exam and got 10% rating for tinnitus (thanks to you guys on this forum), but my hearing loss was rated at 0%! The determination letter gives me all kinds of numbers:

   Left ear 84% speech discrimination, dB loss 15 at 500 Hz, 25 at 1000 Hz, 50 at 2000 Hz, 65 at 3000 HZ and 80 at 4000 HZ

   Right ear 92% speech discrimination, dB loss 15 at 500 Hz, 15 at 1000 Hz, 50 at 2000 Hz, 65 at 3000 HZ and 70 at 4000 HZ

The letter says the hearing loss was service-related, but is evaluated at 0%.  I assume that means the loss doesn't rise to the level of a disability, which is a big load of BS.  I've been dealing with this ever since getting out of a tank turret.

So what's the best way to appeal?  Should I go to a private audiologist and get myself tested before appealing?  Or just go straight to the appeal process?

[boomer2]

Maingun

Your hearing will get worse, it is not if but when. In my case I had filed for an increase and when it was done the lady told me that you'll be notified. Well when I was notified it was of course denied, I then filed a NOD because she had stopped the test half way thru. I was eventually given a new test and I found out that she stopped the test because I was not responding to some of the words. Well the reason I didn't was because I did not understand the word. I found out that that is a NO,NO. If you don't know the word say the word you  thought you heard. The way it was explained to me was you get 25 words to repeat if you do not answer to a word that number drops by one word. So when your percentage is calculated it is based on your responses. Example say you respond to 22 words and you get  17 of those correct that means your word discrimination will be 77% whereas if you had answered all 25 and got the same number correct your percentage would be 68%. Don't know if you understand that or not but that was what I was told.

[Buck52]

you may want to appeal NOD and go get you another hearing test from a private certified Audiologist using the VA protocol  let hm/her compare your test  & you can get the  VA hearing Qualifications here on hadit  or in the CFR'S to compare them.

The VA Hearing loss criteria is pretty high and also the word speech discrimination is I think set at 60% or worse.

 

jmo

 

 

..................Buck

[Buck52]

http://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=4be518da592caeee0c65d2ba6e1f9edb&node=pt38.1.4&rgn=div5#se38.1.4_185

[broncovet]

Im still appealing a 0 percent hearing loss rating since 2002. 

First, you need to calculate  the CNC average for each ear. 

(dont count the numbers at 500 hz)

25                                                                                        right   15  50, 65, 70

50               

65

80

Thats an average of 55 left, and 50 right ear. 

(add up the 1000, 2000, 3000, and 4000 values and divide by 4 for an average).

 

Once you have the averages and speech discrimination, you plug those into the chart Buck posted.   Remember: 

4.86 (b) explains how to do the charts:

(b) Table VI, “Numeric Designation of Hearing Impairment Based on Puretone Threshold Average and Speech Discrimination,” is used to determine a Roman numeral designation (I through XI) for hearing impairment based on a combination of the percent of speech discrimination (horizontal rows) and the puretone threshold average (vertical columns). The Roman numeral designation is located at the point where the percentage of speech discrimination and puretone threshold average intersect.

 

      If you plug in the numbers into the chart, below,  placing SPEECH DISCRIMINATION SCORES IN THE HORIZONTAL ROWS, I get Roman Numeral VIII. 

 

 

I can tell you from experience, VA does it EXACTLY backwards from the way it says in 4.86 (b) in many/most RO's.  This is why you get such a low percentage, and I get 50% by plugging in your numbers using the regulations as stated. 

 

 

 

Edited October 13, 2015 by broncovet

[boomer2]

This is just the start of your HL claims.  You are now rated at 0% so the only way you can go is up. I was rated 0% for 10 years before I finally got rated at 30%. Don't know how old you are but your hearing is going to get a lot worse. You can appeal it or go to an outside audio doc. If you do go outside the test must be done to VA standards. So read up on 4.85 and 4.86.

[Carl the Engineer]

Im zero since 08, time to ask for an increase....

 

Hamslice

P.S. need to run my numbers the "bronco" way and see what I can see...