tinnitus Looking For Advice

[tugger50]

My claim was filed on 9/20/2011. One of my claims was hearing loss, very common I'm sure. I also have Tinnitus but I didn't claim it and my VSO missed it as well. My question is should I submit it right away or wait and see if the VA picks it up? Since I filed I've had an Audiogram at the VAMC here and I'm now sporting some nice hearing aids.

My earliest completion date is 2/12/13, according to E Bennies. Would it slow it down? Would they just say well sure he has that too and keep on truckin?

If I should file right away I would make a copy and send it to my VSO so they have it also.

What do you think?

Thanks brothers & sisters!

[jbasser]

File it. Dont wait. It may cost a little extra time.

J

[broncovet]

I agree with Basser, the sooner the better. This is a no brainer. Reason: The vast majority of hearing loss claims are rated 0%. Tinnitus is likely your only shot at getting compensated.

This is common VA trickery. You apply for VA benefits...tell your VSO about your hearing loss, and a few other maladies. They "drop" all of them except hearing loss. You think your benefits are being "processed". Wrong. Of course, you will be denied hearing loss. Then you appeal.

It goes to the Board, and the BVA awards. You get zero percent and an empty lollipop stick. Now, you start all over again, after wasting 5 years on appealing a 0 percent hearing loss, thinking you would get "benefits".

Unless you are deaf, you are unlikely to get any compensation for hearing loss. The VA has skewered the rating tables in favor of the VA.

I have not been able to even watch a movie, without closed captions for years. And for years, I got zero percent for hearing loss. I have a 90 deciblel loss.

How does the Va get away with this? Well they take the average. They average my 90 decible loss with other frequencies where, arriving at an "average" 55 decible loss. Do I hear at 55 decibles? No. Since most women and children have high pitched voices, I miss about 90% of what they say. I hear mostly only low tones. That is, I can understand deep voice men, and can hear large barking dogs. I also cant hear people whose language is not native to English.

This means I can understand about 30% of what people say. That fetches a zero percent hearing loss rating.

It would be like if you had a bullet in one leg. So they say, "Ok, thats one bad leg, lets average your bum leg with your good one and two good arms. SO, you are only 25% disabled. You can still win races with one leg, right? You could just run on your hands, as they work ok.

[deanbrt]

The tinnitus is not easy, either. When I claimed it they gave me a hearing test, which has nothing to do with ringing in the ears. As so many can attest here, accept the fact that you are going to be denied more than once before winning and that it may take years.

Having a good IMO on the front end can be very helpful. I thought I would get a fair review without needing one and I was wrong.

[tugger50]

I know it won't be easy claiming Tinnitus. I do have evidence of my dizziness and unsteadiness with it so maybe????

My hearing loss is pretty severe and I was lucky enough to find an environmental assesment of my noise pollution exposure as well as other things being a Boatswain's Mate and doing deck work aboard 7 ships in both the Navy & Coast Guard. The VAMC thought it was bad enough to give me some top of the line hearing aids. They sure help me alot.

I filed with VONAPP today on form 21-4138 and added a couple of items to my existing claim. I will give my VSO copies.

[deanbrt]

Maybe. An IMO with nexus will be very helpful