Hearing Loss

[dtclou]

How does a claim like this work? My husband has sever hearing loss. He did have childhood problems - but they gave him a referance audiograph & he was able to get into the military dive program - no ear problems at time of enlistment

Does he have a claim for the damage to his ears/hearing loss ?

He has NUMEROUS SMR for ear infections, discharge, problems thru out service.

He was EOD & did LOTS of deep underwater dives that did ear damage. He has a lot of hearing loss. He is going to civilian audiologist today to be "measured"

Edited February 12, 2006 by dtclou

[dtclou]

He had an audiograph - mostly measured in 30's & 40's for hearing loss. Highly recommed to get hearing aids for both ears.

[Guest Jim S.]

If the Veteran had problems with ears as a child, does not mean he had hearing loss. If it was noted on his enlistment physical and the audigraph was done at that time, that is the base line for which any worsoning on condition will be measured, as long as it is not found to be the natural progression of his childhood problems.

The type and nature of the service the Veteran has had, is indicative to the possibility of hearing loss, due to deep dives problems or noted as the bends. Their could have been miner damage done during service that would become more evidenct as time went.

Knowing the VA, it would be your best action to be taken is to seek out a Physicion who who specializes in dive medecine, who would have the expertise to give you the IMO that you would need to trump any general practicioner at a C&P and or Audiologist the VA would probably send you to at a VAMC.

Does your husband still have his personal dive logs, that he sould have kept. or the Dive logs that the service kept so that he would not be sent to dive deeper and longer than the dive tables would allow.

Even during my young days as a scuba diver, I maintained a log, not relying on my memory to make a mistake and end up with the bends.

If he did not keep his own dive logs, them I am sure that their must be such logs somewhere collecting dust. If he is unable to locate them, ask the VA to assit him in locating these records, If they fail to try and locate these logs, then they may must show that they at least tried.

Jim S.

[dtclou]

Thanks Jim,

He kept very few of any military records & VARO can't get them.

I did find Evals that commends him & recognizes many dives "as deep as 150' " That is about all our "proof" right now....he also did SAT dives.

In his c-file there are 4 requests from the VARO to obtain his personal file so they can get his stations/decorations/combat history etc.. They keep getting "no files found" He did some secret service work & DEA & also worked with SEAL (I did send 3 of his Evals that stated these things to VARO) They didn't have any of these in his c-file.

Spent very little time with his team most TAD to other special force teams.

He thinks some of his records may be classified/sealed . Do they do that ? If so - how to you get them? How do you obtain TAD records ?

[Testvet]

if he has "classified records" there are people at the VARO that have clearances to get the info they need to process his claim. these type of statemens make me cautious as there are very few "classified" personnel files any longer.

[dtclou]

He doesn't know if they are classified.

He did do a lot of DEA & secret service, worked with chemical & neuclar weapons & the demolition of ammunition.

All I know is here in the c-file I just got is that there are 4 seperate requests for " separation documents, personnel file showing unit of assignment, dates of assignment, participation in combat operations, wounds in action, awards & decorations, and official travel outsie the US"

In response:99

A check of NPRC'S computer database indicates the military record has not yet been retired to code 13. Since DPRIS is now operational, we suggest you address a new request to code 31 thru PIES. Our understanding is you will receive a response VIA DPRIS w/in 48 hrs"

He was h/d in 1994 - so how long does it take to retire MR to code 13 ?

They have requested 4 times (that I see here in his c-file) and never received anything but the above statement.

Should he send a statement to VARO that there is a possiblity that they are classified?

Would they need to contact a differnt records dept. Or would NPRC tell them if they are classified?

[Arch]

I was Enlisted in the US Air Force, however I also worked for the Dept. Of the Army in a very secure location, one of those that "dosent exist" I understand after 10 years what was so secret is no longer classified to some extent?

I Have had no problems relating to the VA anything they needed to do any investigations

necessary. The only thing I have been told is that my Claims , NOD's and statement in support of claims are allways in something called a "Lock File" because Of my past conditions.

Most if not all of my claims relate to Military service, I am not worried about Title 18 or the man with the "BIG Eraser" I was introduced to.

Arch Sgt. USAF