Hearing Loss......need someone to interpret the numbers?

[Wayne TX]

Got a copy of my C&P Exam today at VAMC......... under Diagnosis, got X's in Right Ear for Sensorineural hearing loss between 500-4000 Hz and frequency range of 6000 or higher,  and in Left Ear X's s for Mixed Hearing Loss, sensorieneural hearing loss in 500-4000 Hz and frequency range of 6000 and higher.  Hoping someone here can tell me something who can decipher what all this means.........basically did I pass or fail  my Hearing Test in VA's World? 

[EODCMC]

I see what you mean Buck. I was told but can't confirm...for service connection only, they will not consider a threshold shift in the 6000 range. They do; however, consider it when rating how much hearing is currently lost. 

[Buck52]

If I was you Wayne I'd go get another test by a private license ENT Office that uses his own Adologist... do this before you get a decision  because I bet your only going to get low ball on this.

besides  if they think they will get to sell you some 5.000 hearing aids  the test will cost penny's  and you don't have to buy your aids from the private Dr  because you can get them free from VA, but don't let them know this until you have been tested and a letter from that Private Dr and the test ...you can take this test to them and after they test you ask the Dr to compare his test with the VA 

 THEY CAN LET YOU KNOW HIS RESULTS AFTER TESTING YOU IF YOU HAVE SEVERE HEARING PROBLEMS AND WORD TEST..I bet it is a lot worse than what the VA is saying.

if you get a high rating for hearing loss  40% or 50% plus 10% tinnitus and any other ratings you might have already  they can use the extra scheduler  combined ratings to infer the IU 

40/50% for hearing loss  means your darn near deaf  but VA ways they really make it hard on a veteran with bad hearing problems....if you can ear well enough to hear most of those  beeps and sounds  tones coming through those headphones in a sound proof chamber then the VA Will consider you can hear and low ball ya  (jmo)

I would go out on a limb just from reading your C&P Chart  you should at least get a 50% rating for over all   bilaterally    hearing loss plus 10%tinnitus.

Edited March 3, 2018 by Buck52

[EODCMC]

Compared with my audio-grams, I wonder how Wayne hears at all. The problem is you have to show a threshold shift while on active duty...I think it's something like 25 decibels.

[EODCMC]

Vague, but this is how they reasoned and I received 0%:

When, after careful consideration of all procurable and assembled data, a reasonable doubt arisesregarding service origin, the degree of disability, or any other point, such doubt will be resolvedin favor of the claimant. Reasonable doubt exists because of an approximate balance of positiveand negative evidence which does not satisfactorily prove or disprove the claim.
Service connection is warranted because your service treatment records show that your hearingloss was permanently worsened by service. You had hearing loss when you entered active dutywith worsened hearing upon exit. The evidence of record provides no specific finding that theincreased disability was due to natural progression. Therefore, the presumption of aggravation isnot overcome and service connection on the basis of aggravation is granted. In addition, you hadmilitary acoustic trauma as evidenced by a significant puretone threshold shift in-service andyour hearing loss has been linked to that acoustic trauma.
VA examination findings show the left ear with 100 percent discrimination. Decibel (dB) loss atthe puretone threshold of 500 Hertz (Hz) is 15, at 1000 Hz is 15, at 2000 Hz is 20, at 3000 Hz is25, and at 4000 Hz is 40. The average decibel loss is 25 in the left ear. The right ear shows aspeech discrimination of 100 percent. Your right ear Decibel (dB) loss at the puretone thresholdof 500 Hertz (Hz) is 15, at 1000 Hz is 15, at 2000 Hz is 15, at 3000 Hz is 20, and at 4000 Hz is40. The average decibel loss is 23 in the right ear.
An evaluation of 0 percent is assigned from July 26, 2016. Service connection has beenestablished from the day VA received your intent to file for compensation based on continuousprosecution.

[EODCMC]

I had significant and irrefutable loss at the 6000 HZ...it appears they didn't consider it.

[Buck52]

It took me 3 Appeals to get my hearing loss correct and a Private EMT and his Audiologist   After messing around with the VA Audiologist  Dept I got fed up  (I hadit)

 years ago hadit members  helped me out and they were the ones to recommend a private ENT with his own Audiologist.

My Vietnam days Service connection was no problem ,Used temp MOS ( Vehicle and Equipment Recovery) and loud gun fire, mortar rounds hitting close by and those  hueys hovering around out in those rice patties made havoc on our ears some of the guys that were left  I would go pick them up & sometimes those sudden loud blast we could not hear for days.

This is what they call Noise Induced hearing loss(Now)  which most Veteran have that if they were around loud noise 

Note:  you don't need to be a combat veteran to claim hearing loss. any loud noise you were around during your military service will give you loss of hearing years down the road.