Anyone Here Actually Rated More Than 0% For Hearing Loss?

[ktm rider]

My wife was sick and tired of repeating herself so she insisted I go to the VA. It was no secret that my hearing was bad. Failed tests at work every year. I worked on the flight deck of a carrier from 88'.-92'. SO I went.

I did some research online and it seems that a vet rated higher then 0% for hearing loss is as rare as hens teeth.

I was actually denied for my hearing even though I show hearing loss within the VA criteria. It seems that My exit hearing test in 1992 showed no hearing loss..... I don't recall taking an exit test.

Has anyone here actually been successful in claiming hearing loss and got a rating higher than 0%?

[killemall]

My story.....

Entered with perfect hearing. Everything 0-15 for scores back in 1998.

Sustained a head injury 4 months later at basuc and was knocked unconscioys for several hours. Noticed constant loud ringing.

A year later had scores as high as 50 on my 1999 hearing test.

Fast forward to 2001 and my hearing for my infantry job had become a nightmare. My scores were now as high as 65 on my hearing test. The army gave me hearing aids at this time.

By 2004 my hearing scores touched 70 and my speech recognition test were in the 70s and 80s.

I was medically discarged with a lump sum seperation pay and then awarded 0% from the VA.

Five years later my hearing seemed worst and I notified the Va in 2009. I took new hearing test and my scores touched 75 with my speech recognition in the 70s.

I was awarded 20% for hearing loss from the VA. I then claimed tinitus and was awarded 10% for a total of 30%.

In 2011 my hearing seemed worst and I notified the VA. They re evaluated my hearing and saw my scores touched 80 and my speech recognition test showed scores in the 60s and 70s.

The VA gave me 30% for hearing loss plus my 10% tinitus for a total of 40%.

Fast forward to 2013 and my hearing test now show peaks of 85 around 6 months ago and speech recognition test in the 50s and 60s.

I'm expecting 40% for my hearing loss and 10% for my tinitus in 2014. Maybey more if they make me wait a year before the official c&p.

The thing is to just stay on top of it. If you have significant hearing loss to warrant a 0% rating then you better belieave your hearings gonna deteriate faster than people with normal hearing and before you know it you be getting compensation.

I'm 33. Id guess that by the time I'm 40 ill be at 50-70 percent compensation for my hearing loss and tinitus. Very likely 100% by 50 years old

[FormerMember]

Well, I see a problem. From my time helping Vets on hearing, I have spotted one thing. No matter how bad it gets, you'll never get to 100% unless you're stone deaf in both ears. Period. In fact, they usually don't begin handing out hearing ratings until you're toast in one ear already. They will not grant you a TDIU based on it being one of the major anchors (40% + other disabilities). Look at this one. http://asknod.wordpress.com/2013/10/30/fed-cir-geib-v-shinseki-youre-good-to-go-eddie/ Mr. Geib is 88 years old. Figure it out for yourself.

Adding up a bunch of 10%s and then coming up short of 100% and hoping for IU ain't gonna happen. Adding up a bunch of non-life threatening ratings that merely make life more challenging and finding work harder to obtain do not constitute IU. Filing for depression is not a guarantee of getting it either. You actually have to be depressed clinically and you have to prove it's related to the hearing. You also have to prove it is severe enough to be compensable. Three very big ifs. Hearing ratings are about the hardest to get because they focus on the lower frequencies which are the least affected by trauma. Typically, you lose the high end like I did from too many things going boom too close for too long. The VA wasn't born last night and unless you can show some continuity for the depression in your civvie medrecs before you filed, they are gonna cut you to ribbons on it like Zorro. Three I know filed for the depression, secondary to hearing. One was granted but got 100% for the depression. Hearing? 0% compensable. Two were denied based on a diagnosis well after the onset of hearing loss. VA feels you should get bummed out as soon as it becomes apparent. They think maybe you're trying to pad the old ratings percentage when you start piling them on. In addition, total, utter, complete deafness in both ears will get you $100 extra month on SMC K. If you are blowing smoke rings for ratings, trust me when I say hearing is the least lucrative of all the avenues to the end of the rainbow.

Just for the record here, I don't advocate anyone suggesting a fellow Vet should do the spaghetti on the wall trick and throw depression in if it isn't there. That is fraud. If Mr. Killemall has already filed for it and legitimately feels it is SC as a secondary, that is all well and fine but to suggest it out of the blue with no knowledge of his/her mental history is pointedly unethical and gives others the impression that maybe we all belong to the Safeway Slip on the Floor Club . That isn't advisable. This site has the absolute, unvarnished veneer of respectability and it is a hard reputation to attain. Keeping it so is equally difficult as many come here and form opinions based on what they read. I have learned over time that giving advice is like holding on to the wrong end of a double-edged sword.

Edited April 28, 2015 by asknod

[boomer2]

Ktm rider

I should be 30% for HL as soon as the DRO review is complete. My hearing is extremely bad though My lowest DB loss is 50 and the best SRT is 72. There are several people on this site rated above 0% for HL.

[lugnut]

I am rated at 10% HL and 10% tinnitus, but I had an awful fight for it.

[Navy04]

I was rated 0% even though I had severe loss in right ear, instead they gave me 10% for Tinnitus even though I did not ask for it. I was Aviation in the Navy and spent 5 years in OIF and OEF. I have a FDC claim in now to have it updated. I know how you feel, my wife watches TV at have the volume I do.

[ArNG11]

If you worked around aircraft or did any type of mechanic work on vehicles or such this is the best avenue to pursue a tinnitus rating, typically 10% is what they rate.(ringing in the ears) as for the hearing loss if you have your medical records from your entry exam and later hearing exam that show a compensable degree of hearing loss this would be of a great help to your case. If you haven't passed the one year mark since your decision I would submit and notice of disagreement with relative evidence. The key is having those records. If you haven't already done so get a copy of your c-file. Typically you can get partial copies of your records by visiting the regional office if it is nearby, however, if it is not, then submit a request in writing, be warned though, they take their time, as they always do on these types of request. It's been a few months on mine and I still have not received anything. Hope this helps.