Paul

I am 77, have 100% unemployability disability from the VA along with SS for my wife and myself. I am thinking of applying for Supplemental Monthly Compensation (SMC) because I cannot hear well enough to perform many of the chores around the house and I need some help. I cannot talk on the phone, and yes I have a captioned phone and it doesn't help. I can understand my wife if I see her talk, otherwise I can't. About 90% of the people I talk to, even if I am looking at them, I can't understand. I can't shop, or correspond with anyone except by writing. I need someone to help around the house - probably just one day a month to help my wife take care of things she doesn't have time for now. I have not been able to find any information about SMC except how much it pays. I was able to determine my hearing has to be bad enough to get the maximum rating of the VA. I don't think that's a problem. When I asked my audiologist if my hearing is going to get worse she said it couldn't get worse. I just want some clues as to what the rating board is looking for in my statement of claim I have to make to them. Any help is greatly appreciated.

I really didn't have much of a problem getting my claim approved. I went to a doctor who happened to also be an ex-marine (as I am). He wrote a letter concerning my hearing disability. At the time, I was 67 and working as a telemarketer making appointments for a tree company. At that time, my eisability rating for hearing was 20%. My hearing was getting so bad I couldn't hear on the phone, even with two amphiliers piled on my one remaining ear. I also had several hearing tests from the VA showing my hearing was very bad. I got a letter from my employer stating he was going to have to let me go because I couldn't work any more. I sent it all to the VA claim. They had me take a few medical exams, including a psychiatric exam, determine what I said was true. The put the claim on "fast track" because of my age and within a few months I had 100% unemployability compensation. The important thing to remember, as far as I can tell, is the VA will not accept anything you say. You have to get a professional to verify everything you claim is true. As I recall, I applied in July and had approval in time for Christmas the same year.