tinnitus Helping An Old Vet.

[Cavman]

I`m trying to help an old vet and am wondering if I am wasting his and my time. He is 70 and was on a flight deck for 2 years and a Naval airport for 2. He lived on the flight deck and runways working on helicopters during the Korean War. He says he visited the sick bay when in the Navy complaining of hearing loss. He says he has ringing in the ears for many years. Honestly, he can`t hear shit. Sorry about the language, but I do get impatient with his hearing loss when working with him. He has lost about 90% of his hearing according to the many test he has taken. I filed hearing loss and tinnitus claims for him last summer. He has heard nothing yet. Should we proceed?

Cavman

[jbasser]

Medical Jig Saw Puzzle. He needs to map the entire history of the hearing loss and then show it to a MD and get a least as likely as not related to Aircraft Engine Noise.Needs to show his occupations since service and if there are any that severe noise, be cautious for VA rebuttal of claim compared to post service noise exposure. SMR should be obtained also showing complaints to Navy medical personnel. This can be done even for his age, the hearing loss

[Vike17]

Cavman,

Are you saying you filed a claim for hearing loss and tinnitus in 2005 and haven't heard anything such as a VCAA notice yet!?!?! If so, that's almost a year without any action! Are you sure the claim was submitted to VA? Did you send it certified with return receipt? Do you have those mailing receipts?

In regards to the actual claim, what does his SMR's records say? In particular his entrance and ETS exams? He'll have to show some type of documeted hearing loss while on active duty and/or treatement of severe hearing loss shortly after discharge with a very strong IMO from an Audioligist which states that his hearing loss was so advanced shortly after discharge that it "at least as likely as not" manifested itself while he was exposed to the aircraft noise while on active duty. If he served during the Korean War, that's an awful long time that has elapsed. Does he have some sort of documentation of his MOS that shows exposure to high level of noises?

Vike 17

[Cavman]

Vike17:

I filed his claim in July of this year and the only communication from the VA was to say they had the claim. His SMR does show that he complained of hearing loss while in the service. His MOS was helicopter mechanic and as I said he lived on the flight deck. I have known him for 30 years and he couldn`t hear when I met him. I find it odd that I filed a tinnitus claim in late September just after filing my appeal for PTSD increase in rating and have already had a c & p and he hasn`t been given a c & p date yet.

Thanks Vike17 for the reply. I always appreciate your response.

Cavman