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%?

[Gastone]

Killemall, I have to disagree with the "your hearing loss will get worse as years go by," that's not a guarantee. Just about all the Nam Vet's I know, including myself,  have a HL SC  Rated at 0% and Tinnitus at 10%. I've been static since 1st tested at a C & P in 02/08. Tinnitus symptoms have worsened but Freq and Word Rec have remained the same, test results the same on a 2015 C & P and each time I get New Hearing Aids.

Vets could have a problem locating a non-VA ENT that uses the Recorded Maryland CNC Test. Costco and Sams Club as well as ENT's that use a Non - Recorded Word Recognition test, simply won't cut it.

Much easier to file for a HL Increase every couple years which results in a New C & P. What a Vet thinks personaly regarding his symptoms and Degree of HL are often quite different than the Professional Test Results.

[gymz123]

I understand that I am coming to the table late to reply, but I hope this experience is helpful.

I was lucky to have both an entrance and an exit hearing test from the service. My problem was typical, I knew I had tinnitus from the moment a cannon went off, and my ear buzzed for the next 50 years. Like others, I had no idea the VA had services to help me with this problem, and my wife told me to get help one day, so I was off to the VA. Within six weeks I was scheduled for a QTC exam, and I went, and the audiologist performed a hearing test. She was very quick, would not answer questions and I was out of the exam in under 30 minutes. I did not feel good about the experience and decided to bring ammo to the fight I felt was coming.

While waiting for a decision, I went and had four independent exams done. A couple was free from audiologists who were thankful for military service; the other two cost $75 and $125 which I felt necessary for the backup they gave. Each audiologist told me that my hearing was damaged and I was given copies of the exam. As I expected, the VA declined my QTC test and said I was within parameters of normal hearing. I decided to issue a Notice of Disagreement with the decision, and my VSO wrote it up and sent it to the VA along with the private audiologist test results.

I got a decision in six weeks and was awarded 30% and an additional 10% for tinnitus. 

I was happy that the extra work produced solid results so quickly. Now, three years later, I have noticed that my hearing has progressively gotten worse and I have scheduled a hearing test. I suspect we will go down the same road, but now I have a record, and the VA should be inclined to see a net loss. I'm hoping that's the case, backing up your claim with independent private sources is a powerful tool and argument the VA pays attention to.

 

[richjh]

After a visit to the hearing lab I was rated 10% for tinnitus. I started life on a cannon cocker then moved to the infantry as a M60 machine gunner in Vietnam. When I asked about the hearing report they said it showed I was around a lot of very loud noises. I didn’t need to be a brain surgeon to understand that. They also gave me hearing aids.

Rich

[Gastone]

Buck has had a severe Hearing Impairment SC, for many years.

[Buck52]

Yes I have been diagnosed with severe profound noise induced hearing loss (bilaterally)  &  testing at all levels of the VA Audiology Guide lines protocol .including the Maryland CNC word test.

I had a private audiologist that taught at Southwest College Institute for the Deaf give me a hearing test  (he has since retired) and a specialist in hearing loss at his private practice  ENT office.

And numerous VA Audiologist testing  and C&P's using two different VAMC.'s

Hearing loss is very hard to get & most veterans get denied the 1st and second time around just to establish Service connection,  took me  6 years of appeals before I won my Noise induced Hearing loss claim and about 8 Licenses and certified  Audiologist and Hearing specialist along the way.

I never gave up  but I was also looking for a way I could get my hearing back so I could work. Unfortunately I never found that,  so I had to accept my hearing loss rather I got any help from the VA or not.

Noise induced hearing loss takes years to notice any hearing loss  usually you start out asking people to repeat them self or began saying things like ( What?... I beg your pardon I didn't understand you)  these things went on for years for me , until it just got worse and worse  and I could not understand what people were saying to me .

I had bad word discrimination and the syllables that were said I did not understand...sure I could hear loud noise like thunder storms ect,,,  ect,,loud booms 4TH OF JULY that sort of thing but in general conversations I could not understand most people unless they talked extremely loud to me   and my hearing just kept getting worse and worse.

I had to get a specialist to test me and read most of my military medical records as to all my hearing testing and write his detail opinion and why my hearing loss was so profound  AS I was not around any loud noise nor did I hunt or fish  or shoot any type of firearms since my military service while in Vietnam.

   This hearing specialist explained how the loud noise I was around while in Vietnam  the artillery  gun fire the rocket mortar attacks the aircraft  (choppers) is what caused my noised induced hearing loss...I am not sure how this actually happens but it damages the inner eardrum and does irreversible damage (THIS SPECIALIST EXPLAIN IN FULL DETAIL)...

 Note:  I never claimed I was hearing impaired after I got out of the service  and I was supposed to have had a hearing test done at my separation  I don't recall that being done? but I guess it was as the records show it was done , but never the less I could hear good back in those days and I mention this in my claim.  maybe why I was denied so many times but I was just being truthful.

Later on I was fitted with haring aids in both ears  they helped some but not enough  and I have had several hearing aids over the last 20 years and still the best hearing aids on the market today I still have hearing problems  but without them I an totally deaf...but can hear loud sudden noise like thunder storms and Fire works ect,,,ect,,,

Just find a Hearing specialist  usually a private Ear Nose and throte Dr (ENT) is  good they have their own Audiologist that is license  & certified and has advance education on hearing loss.

That is how I won my Hearing loss claim , as the Dr went into full detail about my hearing condition and I got certified affidavits from family and friends about my Hearing loss.

I could not work due to my hearing loss before I was rated or service connected   I had my own family business  so no boss to attest to my hearing loss just my lay statement and IRS Records showing when I last reported my income and all my audiology testing.

...so if any veterans out there that had to stop working b/c of your bad hearing  get a letter from your boss detailing why they had to let you go..also get in VA Voc Rehab  to see if they can find you anything you can do.

 if you don't have a proper education  for people with hearing loss its hard to learn in a class room and there's not many jobs out there for hearing impaired   unless you go to a college and learn sign language and read lips and have extended education... VA Voc-Rehab can write a '' not feasible to retrain this Veteran letter''  and that letter will help you get TDIU P&T  & With all this other I mention above will help you.

Always get  dated Documentation when any qualified  Dr test your hearing.

[Daniel F]

I filed pro se for hearing loss in 1995, after 20 years I tried to get a  lawyer representation or Pro Bono legal help , everyone who read my claim turned it down as unwinable. I had an in service hearing loss of record but the VA found I was not eligiable for benefits due to my OTHD and documentation of a hearing loss was in my 2nd period of service. Going over my Army psysical I noticed  some hearing loss noted but that marked out and replaced with 10s. I enter that into the record and the VA conceded that I had some degree of a Hensley hearing loss on entering my secord enlistment.I kept reading that in the final decision rejecting my claim and remembered for some reason I went back home for a few days prior to taking my oath for my second enlistment. That gave me documentation of a hearing loss prior to entering my second tour . I was given 30% for hearing loss and 10% for tinnitus, and then VA gave me 10% increase for an exceotional pattern of hearing loss in my left ear and a final 60% based on documented hearing test that indicated my hearing was getting worse. I filed an NOD based on my VA rating exam, and two 10 year older private exams indicated I had an exceptional pattern of hearing loss prior to and on my hearing rating exam. also filing for 100% due to unemployability.

If I did it anyone can do it,  To answer your question yes some of us get more than 0% for hearing loss!

dirty dan !