C&P for dizziness and audiometry test ordered..can I bring old records to the c&p

[GeekySquid]

Hey all

i recently put in a claim to reopen a prior decision on bilateral hearing loss and one with dizzines. VA tested but C&P doc only looked at first enlistment. said hearing loss is there but not service connected and did not give a percentage of what that hearing loss is.

The hospital itself has ordered me to take a new hearing test but that is not until december 2018

VA deferred claim on dizziness and order new c&p and hearing test the hearing test is on the 13th of November 2018 and C&P is on the14th at QTC facilities.

The question I have is should I bring my copies of military STR's concerning hearing test.

Original claim was denied

had this finding

[X] Sensorineural hearing loss (in the frequency range of 500-4000 Hz)*
ICD code: 389.11

and this write up

3. Etiology
If present, is the Veteran's hearing loss at least as likely as not (50% probability or greater) caused by or a result of an event in military service?
[ ] Yes
[X] No
[ ]
Rationale (Provide rationale for either a yes or no answer):
1.RME dated XX/XX/XX (at induction) documents hearing within normal limits bilaterally.
2.RME dated XX/XX/XX (at separation) documents hearing within normal limits bilaterally.
3. Comparison of induction and separation exams indicate no significant change in hearing sensitivity and documentation of an
OSHA-defined STS during military service CANNOT be established from this audiometric data.
4. The documentation of hearing within normal limits at induction, documentation of hearing within normal limits at separation, and
the lack of documentation of an OSHA-defined STS during military service indicate that it is NOT at least as likely as not (50/50 probability) that veteran's current hearing loss is related to his military service

Items 1 and 2 only refer to my first enlistment and what she called my "separation is actually marked as a re-enlistment physical.

Item 3 there is an OSHA STS in the records she did not look at.

The award letter used the same language denying my claim to (at least) service connection but probably 0%.

The decision letter on reopening the claim should arrive by Monday the 12th and I plan on  filing an appeal/nod on their denial of service connection based on them not looking at all the files and tests.

 

AS it pertains to this newest C& P and hearing test, I want to make sure that this time they look at all the records to demonstrate that the hearing loss occurred in service particularly if they suspect Meniures (sp?) disease is causing my vertigo and dizziness.

So will bringing my hearing test records and the first C&P to the tests at QTC help or hurt me?

Thanks

 

 

 

[Buck52]

As for as bringing medical records or any favorable evidence to your C&P i RECOMMEND YOU BRING IT...some times the examiners don't have all the Information or VA don't send all the information to them to read before your exam...so if the exam is headed in the wrong direction or you feel the examiner is not asking all the right questions ..or if he/she don't get to the parts you need them to  you can ask nicely ''Sir/mam ''DID YOU READ THE PART WHERE Dr smith mention about my condition he gave his medical opinion on?....if you don't have that in the computer  I have the records right here with me  please read them..thank you...

Most Veteran don't speak up at there C&P  and it cost them their claim usually...so I would recommend you take all your evidence of record that is favorable to your claim  just in case the Examiner don't have all the information they need...this happens a lot.

[Carl the Engineer]

GeekySquid and Buck,

I must stand corrected,

I just got a call today from the VA medical hospital that I usually go to for my C&P.  Bear in mind, I have never received a call from anyone regards my C&P exams in the past.  

"Hello, this is Dr. xxxxx (yes I said Doctor).  I will be doing a C&P exam in the near future as we are opening your heart and did I ever have an echo".  I told her that I did have one with my cardiologist and then again with the VA at her location back in 2016 for my claim back then.  She stated "I don't have them" and if I could get them and bring them with.  I told her I had them and that I would bring them.

I will also bring my Holter monitor results, now that I know she, the examiner, may not have my information that is right there in her building.  And I will be bringing all of my information regards the other 4 or 5 claims I just made, because this C&P may be one of those all in one jobs..

So, again, I stand corrected....

Hamslice

 

[GeekySquid]

3 minutes ago, Hamslice said:

She stated "I don't have them"

dude that is just AFU... missing hearing tests are one thing but your situation is just hosed up!  thankfully you have the records.

BTW I did the Audiology portion of this weeks C&P twofer today. She only did the test but is not writing a report. She told me it was very common in her experience that hearing test records were missing when she did C&P reports. She sounded like she appreciated a veteran who provided the missing records. Hopefully the OTO will feel the same way tomorrow.

Good luck with your situation. let us know what happens.

[Buck52]

GeekySquid/Hamslice

If you show a hearing loss   this don't mean you will get compensation, but if you do show a hearing loss according to the hearing test results it depends mostly on the Numbers in the references/frequency   ranges on 1000.2000.300.4000.5000 hz, scale =They test the hearing in all these ranges.

  if you do show a hearing loss  it has to be a certain percent for compensation purposes   ( in other words you will need to be dang near deaf with VA Standard Guild-lines and have a bad word discrimination score) for compensation purposes.

However if you show any kind of hearing loss but it is not up the the  V. A.  standard guide-lines, they must give you a -percent Service connection   , usually at 0 % if you prove your hearing loss was  because of your military service from Exposed loud noise that you was around while in military!(noise induced Sensorineural hearing loss)

Note: this is not good  >''it is NOT at least as likely as not (50/50 probability) that veteran's current hearing loss is related to his military service''

the Dr needs to give his/her opinion that i HAVE READ THIS VETERANS MEDICAL RECORDS AND EXAMINE THIS VETERAN AND '' it IS likely as not his hearing loss occurred while in the military being exposes to loud sudden noise''  ect,,,ect,,,

After being tested for hearing loss   if you have a ringing sound or a buzz type sounds in your head  this is a good time to let the Audiologist know about that........its called tinnitus and has a 10% rating for both ears. 

(you have to mention this to them they won't just give it to you!)

bilateral. hearing loss is tested in both ears. 

once service connected for hearing loss and its service connected

   ...then when your hearing gets worse over the years  you can request a hearing rest any time from your VA PCP and then the audiologist is suppose to check the test results for hearing loss and put that in his report...you get this medical documentations and use it as evidence when filing your claim for hearing loss.

Unfortunately for the Veteran , Hearing loss is one of the hardest claims to get with in the VA System.

Edited November 14, 2018 by Buck52

[paulstrgn]

I always bring the evidence I have submitted with the claim for my C&P. I just tell them up front that I brought them in case they did not have it. All the examiners for the C&P (except one, who got upset I brought them) was glad I did. They tell me it is easier for them for this way they do not need to shift though the file to determine what they need to look at. 

I recommend that the vet always bring the evidence they submitted for the current disability being claimed to the C&P. Just my opinion.

 

[GeekySquid]

3 hours ago, paulstrgn said:

except one, who got upset I brought them

 

this is one of my original concerns about bringing the records. some people just get bent out of shape over the stupidest things. Like it is some insult to them personally.

The QTC audiologist yesterday was cool with the records, but she is only doing the tests, the OTO I see today might or might not be. I will find out.

The test yesterday was interesting in that I don't have any recollection of ever doing a speech recognition test beyond the Whisper.

In the Navy I had hearing tests most every year and in a couple I had more than one due to STS events and having to have retests to reset the baselines.

For my 2013 hearing C&P I was in the audiologist building exactly twice, it was new orleans and after Katrina the med departments were scattered all over the place, and I don't remember ever having the speech recognition tests done.

It is just weird, I tend to remember just about everything in detail. I can tell you down to the penny what I spent three months ago or 20 months past, so not remembering that test is an oddity unto itself.