Bilateral Hearing Loss

[GBArmy]

In simple terms, bilateral disabilities would be having an additional "bonus" from the VA to help compensate the fact that having a disability on one side of your body, say left knee,  is more of a handicap if you should have a corresponding disability on the other lower extremity, than rating them completely separate.  So 10% for left knee, 10% for right knee, plus an additional 10% (10+19=19 x 10%=1.9 Add the 1.9 to the 19 and the bilateral number for your knees is 21%. It helps a lot when you climb the disability claim ladder. (I believe this is correct without using a calculator that does bilateral.) Here's where it gets a little wonky. I have s-c bilateral hearing loss by the VA and it is rated at 10%. What? If it is BILATERAL and I have hearing loss in both ears, why is it not 21% instead of 10%? Either the VA is using a different definition when talking about hearing loss, or my disability is miscalculated.  Any comments welcome.

[Buck52]

Yes This is the chart I ment above  broncovet put up.

 

[brokensoldier244th]

https://cck-law.com/blog/what-is-the-maximum-va-rating-for-hearing-loss/

 

Both ears are rated together, not separately and combined. There is no bilateral factor for ears. I can rest my case, because according to the CFR that is the way that it is rated. 

[broncovet]

The charts "build in" bilateral factor.  They show "better ear" and poorer ear.  That is why the seperate regulation on bilateral factor does not show it, because its (bilateral factor, that is, both ears) is built into the charts.  

Perhaps, however, you have a point, broken soldier.   Maybe the charts, even tho they show "both ears" (better and poorer ear) they completely left off bilateral factor, as you suggested.  

Edited February 1, 2021 by broncovet

[brokensoldier244th]

I think the confusion is "bilateral factor". Original poster is calling it 'bilat factor' but that calculation is reserved for extremities only. If he's rated wrong based on the posted charts by all means contest it. I was just clearing up the terminology because it sounded like he was trying to apply the extremities bilateral factor to his hearing. 

[broncovet]

Broken soldier:  My "opinion" is that rating specialists "dont understand" the charts, along with the instructions, and use the computer which allegedly figures it out.  They are not easy to understand, and, Im a chart nerd.  Its hard to even know which chart to use (there are 3).  

Edited February 1, 2021 by broncovet

[broncovet]

I got an idea!  I will post my numbers, and see what you get (percent):

I have CNC average of 50 in right ear, 55 in left ear.  Speech discrimination:

85% Right, 87 percent left.  

Plug those into chart and tell me what you get.  I bet people get different percentages, while it should be straight forward.

There is a trick in calculating averages, even!  You dont use all of them, you skip the 500 decibles, if I recall.  So, if you doint know that, the average willl be wrong!  

Buck, post yours, if you like, also.  

Edited February 1, 2021 by broncovet