tinnitus Need Some Pro Guidance On This

[carlie]

At a C&P in 1978 on a special ear examination, the VA C&P doc

listed on my C&P report -- Diagnosis 1 ) Tinnitus alledged.

I was not granted Tinnitus until about 3 years ago.

With the C&P doc listing that on my C&P -- would that stand up as an informal claim for EED ? It IS in writing, expressing a desire to be compensated for an alledged disability ? ? ?

What do you think ?

carlie

[nlualum82]

Carlie,

I only recall writing a claim for tinnitus 1 or 2 years ago (they kind of run together) but when they granted it they noted that I had responded that I had tinnitus in service, at my first Va appt. right after discharge and several times when asked since.

They granted mine back to the day after discharge in early '78 and the back pay was eye-opening!

Good luck! I guess it takes getting a thorough and ethical rater (the same C & P doc had belittled my claim twice to them). I figured maybe they ruled that they were in the wrong by not advising me to file, etc. at the time????

Gary

[Guest Namvet6567]

Carla - go for it!!! That should be considered an informal claim. The VA should have issued a decision on the "tinnitis alledged." Should go all the way back to 1978. I'd call it an unadjudicated claim.

[wallyg]

Namvet is right - this time?

[Guest Namvet6567]

Wally - I can be right once in a while and glad to see you weren't lost in the mud!

[vaf]

I just went through my husband's initial C & P exam from 1994. He complained of "hearing loss," and they noted it, but said his hearing was within normal range. He was subsequently granted a claim for tinnitus in 1999, effective back to July 1998, based on information I provided solely from all the hearing test results contained in his SMR's. This should have been granted right after he retired. He said he didn't call it "tinnitus" because he didn't know what it was, just a constant ringing that made it hard for him to hear. The percentage would be the same, just an EED. Is this a CUE or considered a new claim?

[wallyg]

Vicki

Hearing loss and tinnitus are NOT the same thing. A past claim for hearing loss will not stand up for a CUE on tinnitus.

Your only hope is that there is an entry in the hearing test examination that uses the word tinnitus. Without that, forget it!

It is a fact that most tinnitus sufferers also have hearing loss, but NOT necessarily so!