Hearing Loss And Tinnitus

[jimshoe52]

I recently discovered a hearing loss in my left ear. It was an accut onset so I went to the doctor who gave me a hearing test. It was revealed that I have 70% loss in my left ear and 30% loss in my right ear. I also have tinnitus in my left ear. I talked to my Vet Rep and he advised that I should file a claim for a disability for it. He asked me what I did while in the service. I told him I was a Radioman in the submarine service. While on board we sent and received Morse code and monitored teletype signals while at sea. Sometimes the signal wasn't very good so the volume had to be turned way up. We stood 6 hr on and 12 hr off watches. We also experienced pressure differentials on the boat at times causing our ears to pop. There were loud blasts of air at times, loud machinery (i.e., diesel engine, pumps, turbines, etc.) from the engine compartment and through out the boat.

My military medical record seems to only record a pre-submarine school hearing exam. There were other audio reports in the record but I don't remember taking audio tests after assignment to my duty station. I also don't recall an exit audo test upon separation from the service. After separation from the service I'd worked in construction where I'd experience loud noises and finally, prior to retirement I worked in law enforcement. We had to requalify at the gun range twice a year. We wore hearing protection at the range. My Vet Rep said that I should file for a disability. But I'm not sure about his oppinion since I have no medical history of hearing loss since military service until now.

Based on this brief history would it be feasable to submit a claim to the Va for disability? I am currently receiving a 10% disability for back injury and awaiting a response on an appeal for a neck injury.

[georgiapapa]

Based on your description of the noise exposure associated with your duties as a Radioman in the submarine service, I think you should file a claim for hearing loss and tinnitus. However, the VA will take your civilian noise exposure into consideration when deciding your claim. If you hunt, go to loud music concerts or participate in other events involving loud noise exposure, the VA may try to attribute your hearing loss and tinnitus to your civilian noise exposure. You mentioned that you worked in construction and law enforcement both of which have loud noise exposure at times. Again, the VA may try to attribute your hearing loss and tinnitus to your civilian occupational noise exposure.

I was an artillery field batteryman in the Marine Corps from 1966 to 1970 and I was in Vietnam in 1967 and 1968. I had a lot of noise exposure when firing howitzers, often without hearing protection. There is no mention of hearing loss in my service medical records.

Fast forward 40 years to 2010 when I decided to file a claim with the VA for hearing loss and tinnitus. I did not hunt and rarely participated in any recreational events involving loud noise. However, like you, I worked in law enforcement. In my case I spent almost 30 years working in law enforcement. I did have periodic hearing exams from the time I left the military until 2010 which showed a gradual increase of hearing loss in the high frequencies. I was diagnosed with noise induced high frequency hearing loss as early as 1975. I also reported continuous ringing in my ears (tinnitus) in all of my exams.

Prior to filing my claim with the VA, I went to my audiologist, who was aware of my military and civilian noise exposure and asked her to provide me with a written IMO giving her medical opinion as to the cause of my hearing loss. In her IMO, she stated it was "as likely as not" that my hearing loss and tinnitus were caused by my noise exposure in the military. I submitted her IMO along with some of my old civilian hearing exams. In the end I won my claim and was awarded 10% for hearing loss and 10% for tinnitus.

Based on your situation, I would recommend you try to get your audiologist to provide you with an IMO to submit with your claim. It would make your claim much stronger. However, based on your military occupational specialty, the VA may concede hearing loss and tinnitus as being caused by your military service. I would definitely file a claim. You have nothing to lose and everything to win. Go for it.

Good luck to you.

[OhioVSO]

jimshoe52,

Could you please post what Series, Rating and Job Title are listed on your Discharge.

Also, I see that you have your Service Treatment Records; but do you have your Official Military Personnel File? Your entrance and exit physicals are normal located in the OMPF.

[Buck52]

Great Advise from georgiapapa!

Please note I am not the best in use of grammar or spelling!

Remember if you showed no hearing loss at time of discharge '' noise induced hearing loss'' can happen over time it may take years before you notice it. Ask the audiologist to mention that in his IMO.

a complete rated hearing test & use the Maryland cnc word discrimation test from a qualified audiologist & IMO stating that you don't hunt or been around loud noise since your military discharge.(however you being in law enforcement may hinder the VA decision but make note that you always used hearing protection while qualifying at the gun range.) not sure about the construction jobs? depends on what you did? what you heard about the loud noise exposure?

Some qualified private Audiologist (specialist in ENT( ear nose & throte) Dr's in their IMO...> you can state you need it for VA compensation purposes & ask them to state their opinion in VA language that this veteran loss of hearing is ''likely as not'' caused from your military service '' like georgiapapa mention...

they can use the VA guidelines... check the FCR's 4.85 for the guidelines of hearing loss.

you may get denied at first or they may SERVICE CONNECT you? if so you can always file for increase depending on the outcome of your hearing test?

I think the decibles need to be in range of 2000 3000/4000dbs or higher that's profound hearing loss the rater will break the %down and assign a rating number that number needs to be above 50...like 55 one ear 60 in one ear or higher to totally deaf....be sure and mention the tinnitus to the audiologist ( constant ringing in your ears , cricket sounds , high voltage hums)

Edited December 26, 2014 by Buck52

[jimshoe52]

Thank you all for your comments and advice. I will take what you all told me to heart and go see my doctor again and try to get a statement. Hopefully he will do it for me. Some doctors are a little skidish about making a committed statement if it involves any type of disability claim. I suppose they're concerned about a repcussion or what ever. We'll see....

[georgiapapa]

jimshoe52,

If your doctor states it would be difficult for him/her to determine whether your hearing loss and tinnitus were caused by your noise exposure in the military, noise exposure in civilian life or noise exposure in both; just explain to your doctor you are not asking him/her to write an IMO stating your hearing loss and tinnitus were definitely caused by your military service. You are asking for an IMO that states your hearing loss and tinnitus were "as likely as not" caused by your military service. In other words, the likelihood of your hearing loss and tinnitus being caused by your military service is 50/50. In VA terminology, "as likely as not" means there is a 50% possibility your hearing loss and tinnitus were caused by your military service and when there is a 50% possibility the benefit of the doubt goes to the veteran. JMO

Good luck

[Buck52]

I agree with georgiapapa!

just be upfront and honest with the Dr or Audiologist ask them about this before you take the test?

if they can't or won't say your hearing loss is'' likely to as not'' caused by your past military service... just say well alright you understand and walk away...There's Dr's out there that will!

you may call around and find a Dr that is favorable to veterans Or Veteran friendly!

you need to try to get this SC back from when you were in the military.... any event happen while on active duty from loud noise exposure?

Vietnam? Gulf War? or any time you were exposed to loud noise while on active duty.

remember noise induced hearing loss is caused by loud noise exposure (without hearing protection) and you lose your hearing slowly sometimes a person can lose it faster than others there's no set time , your hearing test will reflect that if you show a hearing loss? this happens later on as the years go by.

both ears need to be tested and Maryland cnc word test....some Dr's can use the VA Guidelines usually a ENT Dr....some audiologist will too just ask them its very important they say that your noise induced hearing loss is like as not caused from you military service.

if you tell the Doc you don't hunt but you seem to be losing your hearing slowly after you got out of the service and its just got worse...state what your friends/family say about it and notice that you must have a hearing problem because you just don't hear like you use too ect,,ect,,,

you may ask your VAMC PCP to order you a hearing test with the VA and check the reports after....and take them to a private Audiologist and Have them to test you and after the test have the Dr to compare the test and get his/her opinion about your loss of hearing ... is both ears bad? or just bad in one ear?but the other ear has a loss but not as bad as the other ear? ect,,ect,, and have them to rate the % decibles in each ear ( usually they do)...but just compare test the VA Will usually go with the worst test of your hearing especially if you get it Service Connected....altho you may take these two hearing test be prepared for a C&P also!

Edited December 21, 2014 by Buck52