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Our Disclaimer
This Knol is provided to you to describe general processes and procedures that occur during the application for disability compensation and pension and other benefits within the Department of Veterans Affairs System. Any author you find here is not providing you with legal advice. Any information provided by this Knol or any contributor to this Knol is not intended as and should not be construed as legal advice. You should always consult an attorney to help answer specific questions regarding how VA laws apply to you and/or your situation. The summaries provided here are incomplete, and the DVA laws and regulations are subject to change. We do not guarantee and we are not liable for the accuracy or completeness of any of the information provided, or any results or outcome as a result of the use of this information.Hearing Loss
The VA uses a strictly defined criteria to determine the degree of hearing loss. An examination for hearing
loss must be conducted by a licensed audiologist and include controlled speech discrimination test (Maryland CNC) and a puretone audiometry test.
The results of the tests are then calculated according to a system of tables to arrive at a percentage of the disability attributed to hearing loss.
The veteran who is applying for a hearing loss benefit should consider the degree of tinnitus that he or she may have that often accompanies acoustic trauma and hearing loss.
Also to be considered are any psychological or mental health and safety considerations that sometimes result from hearing loss. If the veteran believes that hearing loss and tinnitus have caused or aggravated anxiety, anger, depression, PTSD or otherwise contributed to a loss in the quality of the veteran's activities of daily living, those facts should be recorded for consideration.
Dr. Peter Weber has written an excellent Knol that addresses many scientific and technical details about hearing loss here.
From the VAWatchdog site and Larry Scott;
This information comes from Ed Ball who is a Veterans' Service Officer in Sidney, Ohio.
I want to thank Ed for allowing me to pass this on to you.
http://www.vawatchdog.org/07/nf07/nfMAY07/nf050207-7.htm
Ed's advice below:
---------------
Larry,
As a result of filing numerous tinnitus and hearing loss claims, ("and getting the veterans awarded more times than not - audiograms/speech discrimination didn't support moderate to severe hearing loss"), I've been amazed by the number of veterans that seem to think since they can't prove exposure to traumatic acoustic events in their military career, they just won't file. (Combat veterans - hearing loss is conceded as happened in service by VA, rated based on current audiogram and speech discrimination figures.)
Here are a few web sites that will definitely help the veterans in providing the VA Regional Offices the actual exposure levels they may have been exposed to:
A good civilian web site and file would be found at:
http://www.e-a-r.com/hearingconservation/faq_main.cfm
Then under Noise Hazard they would want to download the Excel Database that list over 1700 Noise sources.
http://www.e-a-r.com/pdf/
hearingcons/NoiseNav.xls
The individual Service Departments have web sites or instructions on Hearing Conservation programs as well:
U.S. Army (one of the best)
http://chppm-www.apgea.army.mil/hcp/NoiseLevels.aspx
U.S. Navy (click on the modules - great reference material)
http://www-nehc.med.navy.mil/occmed/HCToolbox.htm
USMC
http://hqinet001.hqmc.usmc.mil/sd/occhealth.htm
U.S. Air Force (restricted by username and password - probably active duty only)
Then I remind the RVSRs at the VA Regional Office of OSHA's permissible noise exposure in Table G-16:
http://www.osha.gov/pls/
oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?
p_table=STANDARDS&p_id=9735
A traumatic acoustic event in conjunction with noise induced hearing loss greatly weighs in on the "benefit of the doubt" in favor of the veteran. For good measure, aircraft carrier flight decks during flight ops is normally 146db and pain in the ear happens around 130db.
Noise Induced Hearing Loss
http://www.nidcd.nih.gov/
health/hearing/noise.asp
Given the medical evidence supports the claim based on the 1000 to 4000 hz frequency range along with indicators for speech discrimination for disability purposes, recommend folks talk up their exposure to noise in the military when visiting their doctors for hearing exams and make sure it's noted in the exam. (i.e., (+) Severe noise exposure in military) or if the veteran has copies of his/her medical service records, and can show audiograms periodically since released from active duty, they may be able to get a medical opinion to support their claim.
Veterans must be able to show two key factors:
1. Traumatic Acoustic Event
2. Disability incurred in Service
As the VA has a "Duty to Assist" will their raters look up the impulse noise levels? I don't believe so, that's why I provide all the information up front.
Hope this helps,
Ed Ball
Veterans Service Office
133 S. Ohio Ave.
Sidney, Ohio 45365
(937) 498-7283
The results of the tests are then calculated according to a system of tables to arrive at a percentage of the disability attributed to hearing loss.
The veteran who is applying for a hearing loss benefit should consider the degree of tinnitus that he or she may have that often accompanies acoustic trauma and hearing loss.
Also to be considered are any psychological or mental health and safety considerations that sometimes result from hearing loss. If the veteran believes that hearing loss and tinnitus have caused or aggravated anxiety, anger, depression, PTSD or otherwise contributed to a loss in the quality of the veteran's activities of daily living, those facts should be recorded for consideration.
Dr. Peter Weber has written an excellent Knol that addresses many scientific and technical details about hearing loss here.
From the VAWatchdog site and Larry Scott;
This information comes from Ed Ball who is a Veterans' Service Officer in Sidney, Ohio.
I want to thank Ed for allowing me to pass this on to you.
http://www.vawatchdog.org/07/nf07/nfMAY07/nf050207-7.htm
Ed's advice below:
---------------
Larry,
As a result of filing numerous tinnitus and hearing loss claims, ("and getting the veterans awarded more times than not - audiograms/speech discrimination didn't support moderate to severe hearing loss"), I've been amazed by the number of veterans that seem to think since they can't prove exposure to traumatic acoustic events in their military career, they just won't file. (Combat veterans - hearing loss is conceded as happened in service by VA, rated based on current audiogram and speech discrimination figures.)
Here are a few web sites that will definitely help the veterans in providing the VA Regional Offices the actual exposure levels they may have been exposed to:
A good civilian web site and file would be found at:
http://www.e-a-r.com/hearingconservation/faq_main.cfm
Then under Noise Hazard they would want to download the Excel Database that list over 1700 Noise sources.
http://www.e-a-r.com/pdf/
hearingcons/NoiseNav.xls
The individual Service Departments have web sites or instructions on Hearing Conservation programs as well:
U.S. Army (one of the best)
http://chppm-www.apgea.army.mil/hcp/NoiseLevels.aspx
U.S. Navy (click on the modules - great reference material)
http://www-nehc.med.navy.mil/occmed/HCToolbox.htm
USMC
http://hqinet001.hqmc.usmc.mil/sd/occhealth.htm
U.S. Air Force (restricted by username and password - probably active duty only)
Then I remind the RVSRs at the VA Regional Office of OSHA's permissible noise exposure in Table G-16:
http://www.osha.gov/pls/
oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?
p_table=STANDARDS&p_id=9735
A traumatic acoustic event in conjunction with noise induced hearing loss greatly weighs in on the "benefit of the doubt" in favor of the veteran. For good measure, aircraft carrier flight decks during flight ops is normally 146db and pain in the ear happens around 130db.
Noise Induced Hearing Loss
http://www.nidcd.nih.gov/
health/hearing/noise.asp
Given the medical evidence supports the claim based on the 1000 to 4000 hz frequency range along with indicators for speech discrimination for disability purposes, recommend folks talk up their exposure to noise in the military when visiting their doctors for hearing exams and make sure it's noted in the exam. (i.e., (+) Severe noise exposure in military) or if the veteran has copies of his/her medical service records, and can show audiograms periodically since released from active duty, they may be able to get a medical opinion to support their claim.
Veterans must be able to show two key factors:
1. Traumatic Acoustic Event
2. Disability incurred in Service
As the VA has a "Duty to Assist" will their raters look up the impulse noise levels? I don't believe so, that's why I provide all the information up front.
Hope this helps,
Ed Ball
Veterans Service Office
133 S. Ohio Ave.
Sidney, Ohio 45365
(937) 498-7283
Anonymous
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I am a combat wounded infantry vet. VA suggested I get me hearing checked, and then issued a pair of hearing aids based on the results. The audiologist also suggested I file for service connection. When I did, the results came back as disallowed. I appealed and the ruling was upheld. VA said they had a hearing test taken at the time I was discharged and it didn't indicate any hearing difficulties.
In the appeal my former platoon medic provided notarized statements to the effect I would complain about not being able to hear well after every firefight we were in. He also provided copies of company reports for the times indicated to prove we actually were in contact. None of that mattered to the review board. The claim was ruled not service connected.
So, apparently there is no concession hearing loss is service connected just because you're a combat vet...disabled or otherwise.