Hearing eval. question for increase

[Riplip]

Ok I know the hearing thing has been knocked around a bunch. I have read many posts and still can't figure out my next move. I just had a hearing test yesterday at Mass Eye and Ear (the top dogs around here). All my hearing appts are done down there at the request of the VA because i've been diagnosed with bilateral Menieres. I am SC 20% for bilateral hearing loss. My test shows a word recognition of 16% in my right ear and 54% in my left ear. I have severe hearing loss in my left ear and profound in my right ear. I am going for a Cochlear Implant eval as soon as they make my appointment and then i'll schedule surgery and figure out all those other issues with healing and relearning how to hear in that ear.  My question is should i file for an increase now or wait until after surgery? The chart they gave me i really don't know how to read to put in the hearing test calculator. Thanks for any thoughts. 

[Buck52]

They are lot of us veterans  here on hadit service connected and rated for hearing loss. Including my self

  if your at a profound and severer hearing loss   you should file for TDIU P&T its obvious your hearing will not get better  even with the CI's  Maybe some what better but unfortunately noting like your natural Hearing.

Filing for IU is filing for increase  if your rated below the 100% and any other condition you may have.

  I'd file for them also including any secondary conditions..with IU and another separate S.C. Condition rated at 60% or higher this could very open the doors for SMC (Special monthly Compensation) added to your IU OR 100% PAYMENT.

  So in essence  this will help financially to take your children to the parks and amusement parks  State Fairs even fishing and swimming and things children love to do.

These things takes $$ and every little bit helps .

but you are correct  there's nothing any better as to being able to hear your children's voices and live a better way of life.

Edited April 15, 2019 by Buck52

[Riplip]

I can't file IU since I am currently working correct? I am not at 100%. I hear ya on every little bit helps. I have a decent job but thats because i've been here so long. If i lost this job I wouldn't be able to get anything close to it not being able to hear the way i do. The system is confusing to me and hopefully the DAV rep can help out some. If not i just talked to a veteran the other day that said he has a great VSO that goes above and beyond so I may have to meet that person as well. I think the stress and anxiety is just as bad as the hearing loss sometimes. I will do more research to better understand my options. You been a lot of help i appreciate your time Buck52. I'm sure i'll have more questions but what I do know is everything takes forever so i have time lol.

[Buck52]

No you can't be working  when you file IU.

   if you ever get to where you can't work  due to your S.C. Disability then this is what IU is for...as long as your able to work  yes I recommend  to keep on working,.

Your more than likely to make twice as much as you could being on IU  but now some IU veterans can work    but that's another CRF Regulation and requires  a lot of research on the part of Code of Federal Regulation  ect,,,ect,,, understanding them   what sheltered income is and your only allowed to make a certain amount of income ect,,,,ect,,

Be careful using the DAV  or any VSO   make sure they know what their doing .

 you can always come to hadit  Hadit helped me over 20 years ago  I am a  combat Vietnam Veteran  and needed a lot of help back when  I filed for my first claims without a VSO.(1998)...

Just some wonderful Hadit members   which some are no loger with us. Unfortunately.

Hadit and its wonderful intelligent members are better to ask questions and lead you on the right path than any VSO I Know.

but if you can find a good VSO that has a good reputation with Veterans claims  nothing wrong with going with them.

[Riplip]

Thats what i thought. I can work and want to work. People say i work too much but whatever. I understand on the DAV and VSO thing. I'm just starting to try and decipher everything myself because the last DAV person put me behind quite a bit. This one helped me some. I feel i got low-balled on my hearing eval. and he didn't tell me i should put in for stress, anxiety to go along with that and those are pretty rugged issues i've been trying to push through. The vestibular issue and hearing loss really wear me down since its a constant battle every waking minute. Pretty much the only time i'm at peace is when i'm sleeping but sometimes that hard because I can't hear at all when i take my aids out. I have a difficult time sleeping without having concerns of not hearing something in case of an emergency. Weird stuff anyways, sorry for the long winded reply kind of off subject. I will feel the DAV guy out on the 22nd appt. and see if he's really there to help or just get a pay check. Thank you

[Riplip]

Thank you. I have the audiology results from my test last week at Mass Eye and Ear. They have the best equip. around. 

[GBArmy]

Buck

That is great advise if you think you got low-balled. An increase of just an addition 10%( ex. 10% to 20% )would easily pay for itself in just one or two monthly disability checks. If you tell the ENT doc what you are trying to do beforehand, he shouldn't have a problem in doing a dbq for you if his test shows worse hearing. When you say have the ENT doc give his opinion, do you mean an IMO letter or just a dbq for hearing. If it is for an IMO, I would love to see a redacted opinion.