Tinnitus C&p Exam Issues

[manning01]

I finally had a C&P exam on Aug 12th at the VAMC Phoenix for a Bilateral Tinnitus claim I submitted back in May of this year. I just received a copy of the C&P exam I asked for through the ROI office there and not happy what I seen in it. I'm a 20+ year Air Force veteran recently retired on Sept 2010, 2 time OIF deployments and worked on fighter aircraft specifically the F-16 for all that time as a Crew Chief/Aircraft Mechanic. When I went in for the exam everything went well and I explained what I did and my AFSC and the Audiologist seemed to understand oh you worked around jet engines all those years, high power, takeoffs etc. I tried to show her a copy of my SMR and she refused to touch it and also a copy of my medical and OSHA paperwork saying I was on the USAF hearing conservation program for over 20 years and exposed to excessive high noise daily in my work and she took those but not my SMR. But when I read the C&P exam report she selected the statement "Cannot provide a medical opinion regarding the etiology of the veteran's tinnitus without resorting to speculation". The reason given was " Since the C-File is unavailable for review. It is not possible to determine whether tinnitus is related to military service without resort to mere speculation". The papers in her folder she had said I was active duty and my AFSC etc and she blatantly lied in the area 2 under evidence review stating no evidence was reviewed that was not submitted in the C file when I gave her some paperwork that she took as evidence. I can't believe she did that and why the Phoenix RO didn't send over my C file when they are less than a 1/2 mile away and have they have my SMR and my claim is another concern. What can I do besides let them sit on this for another year or longer till they deny it and then have to appeal it over her incompetence and have this held up for years. Can the DAV Rep do anything on getting this fixed now before this sits in the VA black hole for denial and appeal or don't worry about it the claims people will see all my documented paperwork I submitted for the claim and this won't carry really any weight in their decision? Any help and guidance is greatly appreciated.

[TANKERJOE0]

Here it is hope this helps, I received these from the AMVETS NSO here in Phoenix AZ. JM

Addition: check out this link http://www.myavaa.or...s_JDVAC2011.pdf it has a great pdf document on fast letter 10-35, Tl 10-2, tinnitus and hearing loss from the VA.

thanks sooooo much

[manning01]

thanks sooooo much

Glad to be of some help. Hopefully if anyone else sees the post they might be able to use this info also.

Edited November 9, 2011 by manning01

[carlie]

IMO -

This form - wherever it came from - lacks sections for :

Diagnosis

Symptoms - if this is being related to Tinnitus -

is the Tinnitus Recurrent ?

Effects of Symptoms on daily living to include

Occupational and Social Impairment

Dr's Credentials, License # and Contact Information

All of this information needs to be on there.

JMHO

[rufus1]

We I went to my C&P which was done by a contract audiologist she done the hearing test. I told her that the ringing was 24 hours a day and that my wife yelled at me all the time because I did not hear what she says. I turn the T.V. up real loud so I can hear it and that causes conflicts. That I worked around the jets and sometimes in Vietnam we had no time to get our hearing protection in the rush to launch planes. Also had several rockets and mortars that landed very close to me. I was rated 10% and issued hearing aids by the Va.

When I went to my C&P which was done by a contract audiologist she done the hearing test. I told her that the ringing was 24 hours a day and that my wife yelled at me all the time because I did not hear what she says. I turn the T.V. up real loud so I can hear it and that causes conflicts. That I worked around the jets and sometimes in Vietnam we had no time to get our hearing protection in the rush to launch planes. Also had several rockets and mortars that landed very close to me. I was rated 10% and issued hearing aids by the Va.