Va Ace Phone Interview For Tinnitus Claim

[SecondChance]

Hey there, this is my second post and am still figuring it all out! So the nitty gritty....

I filed my claim for tinnitus in Sep '12. So on Jan 7 I had an ACE phone interview with someone from the VHA. He saked me 5 questions about my hearing, what I did on Active Duty, how my daily life is affected etc. So my question is this...how are they testing the tinnitus over the phone. Can such a call really give them enough information to determine whether or not I will be granted tinnitus. Has anyone else ever had an ACE exam? Does the ACE work in my favor or hurt me in the end?

I decided to look in ebenny (i know its not reliable) my claim went from under review to prep for decision in 2 days. How does that make sense? Should I be concerned about a denial since it moved so quickly?

Thanks so much for all of your help with this. I would also loke to say that this forum helped me immensely esp with my original claim. Special thanks to Tbird as well!!

[SecondChance]

So when it says "d) Tinnitus can sometimes be assessed in a telephone interview when a current audiometric

examination is already documented. "

Does that mean that they already see the evidence that I have tinnitus or proof that it may exist and the phone interview was just to cover themselves?

If I am rated 50% for PTSD and then I get the 10% for the ringing, will that bump me to 60% or no?

[carlie]

So when it says "d) Tinnitus can sometimes be assessed in a telephone interview when a current audiometric

examination is already documented. "

Does that mean that they already see the evidence that I have tinnitus or proof that it may exist and the phone interview was just to cover themselves?

If I am rated 50% for PTSD and then I get the 10% for the ringing, will that bump me to 60% or no?

As the directive states - there must already be sufficient evidence of record,

so they must have something already and this ACE interview just helps

button things up a bit more - as a full C&P exam is not needed, the ACE should be enough

for them to make a decision.

That would make you 55% and VA would round up to 60% for compensation purposes.

jmho

[SecondChance]

Thanks. I know I am asking a lot of questions. I just like to be informed about everything. I wanna know how it works so I know how to prepare my next claim.

[Loose Cannon]

When deployed, I worked around the flightline and the 'copters. My actual MOS was admin but rarely do you do your MOS when deployed. Esp when your unit has an abundance of people in a certain MOS!

Great to see a fellow Marine here on Hadit...even better when they are of the "aviation/helo" community!!! You may have an admin MOS but you're still a helo guy or girl!!!

Semper Fi,

LC

[FormerMember]

Sorry to wet willy this but I see a bad moon arisin'. The MOS is going to be the deciding factor and he just said Admin. MOS. Ruh-oh, Rorge. I say it's dead in the water but I'm not trying to be a stick in the mud. You do have to have a risk factor to get on the short list for Tinnitus and I think SC just took himself out of the running. I see the need for Buddy letters or some combat ribbons to show an admin. on steroids. Got a CIB or a Combat Action Ribbon? Anything with a V for valor to show 1154(b) combat exemption so his testimony is golden?

a

cp

[SecondChance]

I was actually Army and I am actually a female. Not sure where USMC and being male came in at. Yes, my MOS was admin, however during deployment I worked on the flightline with the planes and 'copters. The time one deployment doing said job is in my record from another injury... so not sure if that will help me at all either. I am pretty sure everything was documented in my med record correctly, but you can never be sure. I am not an audiologist and will not pretend how to read the records. From what I have been told in the past, my records show hearing loss, or at least enough to get serv conn. Either way, I am in the prer for decision phase and will simply wait for their approval or denial.

Hopefully they come back in my favor but who knows, the VA has a different set of rules everyday....