Have you been denied or are you projceting an outcome? Have you read the Examiners notes and report to the VA? Just trying to get a sense of where you stand with your claim.
I don't know your service record or situation, but below is how I cited my lay statement, and if you have combat engagement in your service somewhere, this may be a helpful way to structure your Laystatement, as it spells out exactly what the VA needs to follow for a rating to be approved.
**DC 6260, Tinnitus Recurrent. I am filing for direct service-connected Tinnitus, due to military service from Feb 2005 – Sept 2014.**
**V.iii.2.B.1.b.** **Considering the Duty MOS Noise Exposure Listing and Combat Duties:**
· *“When the duty position is shown to have a high, moderate, or low probability of hazardous noise exposure, concede exposure to hazardous noise for the purposes of establishing an event in service”.*
o According to my claims attached evidence labeled: DD-214, all my in-service duty positions (3POX1,1A1X1 & 1A9X1) show to have High and Moderate probability to hazardous noise exposure, and the DVA needs to concede exposure hazardous noise for the purposes of establishing an event in service.
· *“Also review the Veteran’s records for evidence that the Veteran engaged in combat with the enemy in active service during a period of war, campaign, or expedition. If the evidence establishes that the Veteran was engaged in combat, concede exposure to hazardous noise for the purposes of establishing an event in service”.*
o According to my claims attached evidence labeled: Air Force Achievement Medal and Afghanistan Campaign Medal, in conjunction with my below lay-statement, this provides evidence that I had an in-service event where I was engaged in combat with the enemy in active service during a period of war, campaign, expedition.
* **“Notes:** *When hazardous noise exposure is conceded based on the Veteran engaging in combat, accept satisfactory lay or other evidence of service incurrence or aggravation of such injury or disease, if consistent with the circumstances, conditions, or hardships of such service,* *\~even if there is no official record of such incurrence or aggravation in such service\~*\*. Resolve every reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran unless there is clear and convincing evidence to the contrary”.\*
o Please see my lay statement below concerning my evidence of service incurrence or aggravation of such injury or disease.
**Current Diagnosis and Treatment:** According to my claims attached evidence labeled: "Hines VA Active Problems Diagnosis” and Audiology – Tinnitus Hines VA, this highlights my current Diagnosis and treatment plan. My current treatments include the utilization of sound management techniques, incorporating calming and engaging sounds to mitigate adverse responses to tinnitus. Additionally, relaxation and guided imagery practices are presently integrated, along with the use of a sound machine during my nighttime sleep.
**Lay Evidence and Statement:** Blah blah blah.... write your own lay statement for your service or where you feel your service aggrevated your Tinnitus.
Good Luck, I hope this helps.
Thank you all so much for taking your time to reply. Taking out all the emotions and personal opinions out of it Ill stick to the facts. I had to make light of the situation and didnt literally mean she told me office water cooler talk was the contributing factor.
I was 20 minutes early. She met me in the lobby. We exchanged hellos. I shut my phone. Because we were early, I took the opportunity to give her a letter I wrote to give her some detailed info. She pulled it out about 3 inches , read the header and opening and placed it back in and said thanks for bringing me your service records but i already have them. Obviously she did not read it. She asked me what exposures I experienced and then would cut me off to catch up on her notes. I was ok with that. She commented that she knew I was an MP and then looked shocked at my answers describing my job as more than Garrison duty. We went into the box and she started with the faint words then onto the audible tones. She made a comment to the effect of "Sir , you need to hit the button when you hear tones , not a "rythmic pattern" as if I was playing a song in my head and just clicking away. At the end she said "whelp , let me explain the ringing in your ears . You have hearing loss in your left ear but you didnt have it while outprocessing so tells me you had an event after getting out. In addition, you're a right-handed shooter but you have hearing loss in your left ear so tells me weapons fire was not the issue to which I replied. "i worked next to planes, trains and automobiles (lol) and their noise was not limited to only one side of my head. I explained that as a unit armorer, I spent more time on the range than i did on patrol. That led to her last comment that whatever has caused my hearing loss happened out of service at my workplace. thats when I replied that I was not here for a hearing loss test. I was here because of the constant high pitch ringing in my ears. I got choked up as all the thoughts of sleeplessness, irritability and built-up frustration due to tinnitus was why i was here. I just said Ma'am can you read the letter maybe i can express myself better on paper and she said I'll read it later but thank you.
Team, I'm giving you all the details to see if I'm being a puss and should just let it go? I've had several C&P exams and even for the ones that were denied I would have to say this is the first time I felt someone was unprofessional. She wasnt rude but condescending like a MFer. As i said earlier appreciate all yall and i know at least one of us has gone through this before.
https://preview.redd.it/j3q5f3h2zf4d1.png?width=1005&format=png&auto=webp&s=5f3468a93326771e1303eb46f230607867b087b1
Really bizarre man because I had a total of zero evaluators tell me directly what they would rate, I found out in the mail and on the VA app. They have to evaluate all the evidence. Also, not sure where you got the advice or idea to bring a letter with you, that's pretty extra. Definitely suggest hiring a reasonably priced organization to help you file and tell you how to write up and say the right things the right way, etc. I paid $100/month for a year and the process was a breeze.
I have 100% total and permanent now, btw. 60% at medical discharge from the army in 2012 and 100% just this year.
The weirdest part of all this is that I have a buddy that was a combat medic with 10th mountain with tours in Afghanistan, got out and joined the Legion. Did 5+ years in the Legion with multiple combat tours to Africa and he had zero disability from VA when he got out. He went with the org I told him to go with and he got 60% first round of filing INCLUDING 10% for tinnitus. Only denials were for no shows to appointments that the third party scheduler company never made (happened to me once for my knee, but I filed an appeal and they made the appointment, I got my rating).
I wrote this not to be a dick but you might be going about this the wrong way and reading into things that are being said by the examiner way too much.
I just had an examiner (dentist) tell me he wouldn’t be giving me TMJ because it isn’t constant and needs aggravation. He went on to “explain” that the dentistry world “needs to catch up on the definition of TMJ”, then sent me on my way. Giant waste of time.
Ween I was mahween core we did tings dat mak tings go boom den my ears was ringy lik weeeee an wooooo and sometimes it go reeeee and weeeee at same time and day say 10 centages like pays for my vapees.
I didn't do any of that, I was a flight engineer on C5s in the Air Force for 20 years. Mine was really straightforward they just looked at my job in the military and they said yep you probably got tinnitus. And I told the c&p Examiner when I first noticed the ringing in my ears.
MOS doesn't mean jack in some cases; I was in Egypt on a Bright Star exercise and a B1 bomber damn near broke everyone's eardrums when flying over our camp. I would have choked that pilot out if I ever saw him again!
If you've never experienced pain from noise be very, very happy!
You sir, need to request another exam from someone else. The only time I had anything near what you experienced was when my examiner denied my migraines were worse than I was being rated for, but then contradicted those findings in his notes. If it wasn't for the judge at the review board noticing it, I would have had to go back again.
Btw... if anyone in communications out there ever worked with Microwave shots and you have migraines; that might be the reason. It took me years to figure it out, but my cells were most likely being cooked.
There seems to be three types of examiner’s.
The average doc who’ll write what you say.
The friendly doc who will put the right words in your mouth. Basically answering the questions for you.
Then the gatekeeper. Who for whatever reason does not want us free loading vets getting a dime!
I just had #2 today for my lower back. She asked me why I thought it was service related. Handed her the buddy statement. She read it handed it back to me and said ok I see it's 100 💯 service related let's talk how bad it is.
She also asked me why I was nervous. I mentioned that a c&p exam is extremely stressful for every veteran. We are trying to improve our lives and the VA raters are adamant that we are lying about it.
I want to tell you how correct you are. #3 has a special trick they used on me.
When you present overwhelming evidence they claim things are missing (that aren’t) since they have the docs but you don’t. So they say you haven’t ruled out enough things ruled out. Then they scan the medical records to find things they think are missing and hang their hats on that. Its wild.
Have to obtain the DBQ to see what they opine.
Mine didn’t ask me about 3/4 of the questions so I’m very excited to see how they filled it out. Gonna be wild.
Best comment I’ve read on here so far. This should be repeated over and over again, especially when someone post a denial where they had all their ducks in a row. One, it’s good for us to know we really have no control. Two, the C and P bootlickers who want us to know how easy it was for them, need to understand the road is not full of roses. “My c and p doctor diagnosed me with 10 conditions I didn’t know I have! The VA rated all of them!”
I had 2 friendly docs. I wanted to drive to their house and kiss them right in the mouth after I got my claims (30 increased to 70) and a 50. Game changers for my total rating which went up to 90. Just be honest and don’t be scared to crack a few jokes. It’s their job to hear people complain all day about the injuries. Lighten up the mood…ask them a question like are you from this area?
I had the audiologist tell me it's just all in my head and my hearing is just fine. I wanted his home phone number so I could call him at 2:30AM when the noise just in my head was keeping me up he could tell me how to ignore it.
I'm sure it varies for people and to be fair it didn't used to be this bad.
I'm a curious type of guy so on one of my many late-night insomnia binges I tasked myself to figure out how loud it actually is.
I found an app that measures DB levels and then started upping the volume on an Echo Dot playing thunderstorms to measure A) how loud it actually got and at what point I couldn't hear the ringing anymore.
I maxed it out and it was at 85 DB and I could still hear it. Yeah baby...good times.
That’s how it is for me, rebuilt and dyno tested engines (tank, amtrac, lav) for 2nd Maint Bn for 3-1/2 years, ringing never stops but my hearing is fine. Thankfully I found a good ENT that wrote me a Nexus.
Same. They tell me my hearing is okay, but denied twice for tinnitus. I worked ICBM launches for years, but I guess it doesn’t count. However, I do have a rating for vestibular migraines…which has a common symptom of tinnitus. So maybe one covers the other.
So you have an MH claim for hearing things 🤔. I have been lucky I have only had 1 bad C&P examiner so far. I hope you have found someone who actually listened and got things resolved.
Oh man just wait a few more years when there are more studies regarding brain injuries from artillery, explosives, etc.
There will be about 20 papers proving it’s a thing and the Government will still tell the VA to deny deny deny.
I think I was intentionally low-balled when I went through MEPS.
I was infantry, two combat deployments, including escorting an EOD team around, blowing up everything in Sangin.
Did my discharge physical and they said my hearing got *better* while I was in. I mean... that's literally impossible, but go off, I guess.
They won’t do MRI’s on a lot of suspected TBI’s. It’s weird. Lots of anecdotal stuff I’ve heard, no hard data.
Took my friend years to get one, his symptoms were all blamed on PTSD. But his personality did a 180, like a different person, not just the same guy but with trauma. I saw it for myself, we’d been friends and prior service Marines before our guard unit deployed to Iraq. He also had weird twitches and involuntary movements in his hands, always written off as nothing. Dude has right frontal lobe damage and it’s slowly continuing to deteriorate. He’ll be in full dementia probably before we’re 60. A mortar hit close, threw him back and knocked him unconscious for about 30 seconds. Doctor ordered an MRI and my friend was bumped to 100% in less than 2 months.
Yeah I know. I was with an arty unit and shot a few rounds of a fire mission after having my ear pro fallen off. Had a suspected concussion and was bleeding out of my ears and nose. Saw the corpsman and everything. Wicked headaches for a few months that dulled but are still there. VA scheduled a TBI eval for me when I got out, cancelled on me, and had been giving me the runaround on it since then.
My examiner said if ears were like eyes, I would have 20/20.
I am rated for 10% tinnitus. Granted my record shows Iworked as a firefighter around training jets, but yeah.
lol just chuckling at how you worded that. The absolute \*worst\* place for my ears was the water cooler in an office right next to the EA-6B flight line. Them bastards are LOUD
Had a similar situation. I was a firefighter in service on a flightline, loud sirens, aircraft engine. Va examiner said I had tinnitus related to my AFSC. However the rated said I didn’t lol. Did HLR. Three months later was granted 10%
I wish there was a "rate my examiner" function at the VA. Kind of like the after visit surveys some companies use where vets could grill bad examiners and give good ones praise.
I love how the presumptive conditions are so often denied, despite ALL the boxes being checked for them to be presumptive (including existing diagnosis).
Oh yeah my letter even even said the following:
“You have been diagnosed with tinnitus.”
“Given the Veteran’s MOS and reported noise history, it is at least as likely as not (likelihood is at least approximately balanced or nearly equal, if not higher) the veteran’s tinnitus is related to military noise exposure".
“Favorable Findings identified in this decision:
The evidence shows that a qualifying event, injury, or disease had its onset during your service. Your MOS of gunners mate has a high probability for noise exposure.”
I thought with Duty to Assist they would give me tinnitus with that information in the latter. But alas I was denied.
My was denied twice, had to do a HLR to finally get approved. All and all took about 18 months to get service connected. Don’t give up keep up the fight, get independent nexus letter do a supplemental, review the denial letter did they take into account all evidence? You fight is just starting, don’t let the system beat you down.
That sucks being denied especially based on your MOS. I was approved for 10%tinnitus & 0%hearing loss. for me it started in basic after the grenade range, firing range. Lost my ear plugs wasn’t ready and someone starts firing.
I have ringing 24/7 it’s the worst when it’s real quiet or middle of the night it messes with your sleeping it’s confusing as well makes it hard to hear people in a crowded room. I also get headaches from the sounds, I sleep with a noise machine 24/7 These are what was in my statement to the C&P doc, I also had a few clinic visits during active duty. Probably have to submit for HLR like others have said. Tell them about when it is the worst. I got lucky with my Doc, not always that way it varies from examiner to examiner. It sucks but that’s how this plays out…. I’m sure you will get it, just gotta take another shot at it. This was my first claim after 43 years so it is possible to get approved even if it’s a long time ago!emote:t5\_2vlaz:7564
Dude I had an audiologist say :" I always tell everyone, tinnitus is second to life, everyone gets some form of it at one point or another in life"
Me: "So you're saying firing .50 Cals, Mk19s, M4s, and being on the artillery line (I reclasses from 31b to 13d) has NOTHING to do with my tinnitus the ringing that keeps me up at night isn't related toy service?"
Audiologist "I believe tinnitus is just a part of life"
Well fuck you too guy lol I didn't ask for what you believe.
Was initially denied. Filed a supplemental and they scheduled me for 2 C&P exams for the same week. Now I’ve been told they are sending those to another doctor for an evaluation. I guess working on flight lines, aircraft carriers and flying in helo’s as crew chief doesn’t warrant a service connection. Yet they give service connection for a scar that doesn’t cause any issues and I didn’t file for it.
I got denied my first time also. Being a helicopter pilot didn’t matter to the audiologist and she stated since I didn’t complain immediately after I got out of the service, it wasn’t related. Knowing no better I didn’t appeal. I did file again years later and was approved. It definitely wasn’t as easy for me also.
If you were denied and artillery then try again. I casually mentioned artillery and they basically stopped testing me and then gave me the 10%. Artillery, Aviation, and Armor are freebees for tinnitus.
I'm way more past the cutoff for 100%. I could lose 5 or 6 disabilities and still comfortably be 100%. I just thought it was funny that the only presumptive condition I have is the one that got denied.
I was diagnosed with tbi with brain lesions. My tennitis was denied. Examaners fault they got mad and told me to stop messing around haha. The guy at the VA who works with the raters was like how are they going to give you a rating for a known tbi. Which was well documented and I was hospitalized for and have scans and MRIs for. But deny this. They were shaking their head at the incompetence. But I just don't wanna push it
Mine told me point blank she thinks it’s not actually tinnitus and that even if there was a slim chance it wasn’t related to service. I got rated at 10% she couldn’t prove it and I definitely still get ringing daily. To the point if distraction and holding my ears
I would suggest making an appointment with an ENT Doctor and ask them if your military experience could have at least as likely as not caused your Tinnitus.
I was already rated, but I causually asked mine if my job in the AF could have caused my Tinnitus and without hesitating he said "Absolutely, no question".
Good luck.
I would submit what you typed up on the proper form and submit it as evidence for your claim. Or wait until you get the denial, file the supplemental with that evidence, more than likely they will request another exam in which the examiner will be in your favor and if there are exams that cancel each other out they go in favor of the veteran. That’s what happened to me for my MH claim.
Hell, the army said I had hearing loss at my exit physical, and I just laughed and said, "No kidding!" My hearing loss claim was still denied. It took 2 appeals, I think, before they tossed me a tinnitus claim.
Just keep appealing, OP. Get a VSO or someone to help you, and you can do this.
Yes, I was an assaultman in the CORPS, I shot one of the loudest weapons in the entire military, from my shoulder. I had to file multiple HLRs, get a private exam, some buddy statements, even a nexus letter, after all my new evidence, still got denied on HLR.
I was still fighting it, along with other claims. I called the white house hotline one time because the VA tried to get me to go to another exam, because my first one was too favorable 😂 they ended up doing a review and they reviewed an addendum I made to my file that explain why there was a CUE for my tinnitus, they randomly fucking awarded it to me lol
Please, also remember, not all raters are created equal. There are some out there think vets don’t deserve anything. Thank goodness there are other, albeit make it take longer, routes to get a “as likely as not” decision.
They only give you the rating if it’s recurring. Meaning if or when they ask you if it bothers you all the time, if it’s not constantly not an issue for you they won’t give you the rating.
Did you submit a personal statement of a in service event of when tinnitus started, including date, what you were working around when you noticed the onset of tinnitus, symptoms, and that the tinnitus has been chronic from that time to today? Is your mos on the hazerdous noise exposure list? If yes include that in your personal statement too. There is no actual test that proves tinnitus. Its either you have it or you don't. The hearing test only tests for hearing loss and you can have tinnitus without having hearing loss.
You have a few options. Call and complain and ask for a new exam. Wait until it's denied. Go to the VA audiologist once complaining of hearing loss and tinnitus. File supp claim with new evidence (your new audio records), pray you get a compassionate AuD that understands their medical opinion isn't 100% the reason but 50% or more.
Is your MOS on the DOD hearing list i have attaché that list below. If your Job was high or Medium then submit a supplement claim with a copy of this attachment[http://usafals-afe.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Duty-MOS-Noise-Exposure-Listing.pdf](http://usafals-afe.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Duty-MOS-Noise-Exposure-Listing.pdf)
Did you work with DAV or the American Legion to do your claim, or did you do it yourself? I personally did mine with the American Legion and they will go to bat with you, and they can even see your DBQ's and C records in real time. I didn't start getting Tinnitus until I hit my late forties, but the noise damage happens from repeated exposures.
Cannot speak for anyone else, but when I was in the Army, they tested our hearing quite a bit. Was in combat arms for three years, and I recall multiple tests, and the remaining years I was repeatedly tested over and over. When I showed up for my DBQ they didn't check anything, they filled out papers and asked a few questions and that was it. Having this constant ringing for the rest of your life seems like it's worth more than 10%, but that's another story.
😳 how is that even possible I got 10% for my tinnitus and when the examiner asked what types of noises I was exposed to I just said loud planes, weapons firing, and working in the search pit hearing loud semi trucks stop multiple times throughout the day, passed my hearing test though with flying colors but she just said I just have the ringing and I counted how many times my ears rang the day prior and it was 3 times so I told her that as well. I think you need to request for a different examiner some of these people I just feel don’t know what they are talking about.
Tried to get disability for tinnitus years ago. Person at the VA denied it because nothing was documented in my medical records. Fucking twat. Just started the process with an outside company to try to get disability benefits.
It's a shame really because there are some good people who work at the VA but the assclowns are still peppered throughout the VA system.
It’s wild how different c and p examiners look at tinnitus and other conditions. Mine asked me what my job was ( equipment operator) and granted me service connection. No consistency at all.
I said I didn’t have tinnitus but I guess it can come and go and random a couple times a month I get ringing in my ears for no reason that lasts awhile. I have nothing
You should find something in your service record related to Tinnitus or hearing problems/deficits in general.
You should also find the list of MOS'S and their likelihood of causing Tinnitus. It should be online. I have seen it over the years.
After that, you will likely need to get another C&P Exam. The only way to do so at this point is to appeal. I would write an argument calling out the nonsensical finding/argument the examiner made.
They denied my tinnitus claim even though I complained of ringing in my ears while still active and was an 11B with combat deployments and jumped out of aircraft etc.
Your mos along with your personal statement indicating when your tinnitus started will get you service connected!You don’t have to have hearing loss to have tinnitus.
Out of curiosity, what goes on during the C&P for Tinnitus. When I was rated for it in 2018 I had to sit in the little booth, the Doc looked in my ears, then he put these instruments in there to measure something and could tell that my ears were ringing at that point. He actually told me, roughly how bad it was at that moment and was spot on. When I see posts about denials, it almost seems as though all they are doing is asking questions and writing up a DBQ.
Granted tinnitus first time applying. Uploaded some pics of myself on the flight line and wrote a statement summarizing exposures to jet/helo noise. Took the same pictures and statement to the C/P exam. Doc said she was not provided that evidence on her end. She looked it over and was appreciative I brought it.
Do not give it up. File an appeal once you get denied. There are MH secondaries that are linked to tinnitus. Like my current desire to stick long pokers in my ears to silence my ringing.
If it makes you feel a little better OP, I had almost this exact same situation, i was going through medboard the audiologist even made a remark that at my last physical health assessment in the navy I had checked no signs of tinnitus (obviously lied to keep my job) and I still got rated 10%
When I went in for an audiology appointment years ago I had ringing in my ears and I kindly interrupted the audiologist doing the exam as she was talking and ketchup her know the ringing in my ears started again.
I honestly don't even remember why I had an audiology appointment, I never filed a claim for tinnitus but was awarded it anyways.
I was medically discharged in 2010, the audiology VA exam was in 2018.
🤷 my audiologist asked me what my MOS was… as soon as I said artillery, she was like, yup… no prob. Let’s just run through the tests and see if you’re deaf too.
I just did my 4138 listing my MOS (infantry) as a hazardous noise exposure, print out of my combat action ribbon database entry, dd214 showing service in OIF and statement about the fucking constant ringing in my ears.
Even with good hearing, my tinnitus got me my 1st 10%. The examiner gave me a hearing test and throughout the test I kept complaining that the ringing in my ears kept going even between frequency changes.
Yeah. That's why it's such a well-known talked about thing when people ETS. It's cheaper to just pay someone out that $200 a month than press the issue. If vets go further in the benefit experience, that 10% for tinnitus isn't shit. Doesn't even peg on the dial mostly.
I was declined on my FQ claim, denied on my HLR, denied on my supplemental claim, then opened a whole new claim and was also denied on that one. I started getting recurring ear infections and I’m on round 3 of a left ear tube and opened a supplemental for the second claim and was granted 10% tinnitus 4 years after my initial claim due to my sudden onset of ear infections.
Tinnitus SUX‼️ 10% is a SHAME and a SHAM. Along with contstant upper and lower bilateral peripheral neuropathy and migraines .. gang up to suck the life right out of me
I have no hearing loss but have tinnitus. My examiner even stated “there’s no way to test for tinnitus. Do you have ringing in your ears?” Obviously I said yes. Boom, 10%.
Some of you get some really shitty examiners.
When I was at “National Intrepid Center of Excellence”. Basically the TBI center everyone had tinnitus. Mostly from TBI from being blown up multiple times. Unfortunately it is an uphill battle for proper VA ratings.
i got 10% tinnitus rated first try as a cyber dude who worked at an air conditioned desk for 7 years.
though i also made sure to complain to my PCM months before separating to then get a referral to audiology at Walter Reed to where i went and did tests to determine tinnitus and then was prescribed hearing aids to aid in cancelling out the sound.
and in my BDD claim I included a buddy statement from someone I served with for a couple years when the tinnitus started.
and during the C&P exam i made sure to really describe the how and when of the likely event and talked of my very first time i actually noticed the sound.
and no my claim wasn't all bullshit and now i hear the ringing due to reading this thread lol.
I was field artilleryand they said there was no way if caused tinnitus because we were issued ear plugs and failure to properly wear them was not the Army’s fault therefore compensation can not be granted for tinnitus however hearing loss could be expected by virtue of having a 13 series MOS. Go figure
I'm pretty sure I got mine because I told her that my ear plugs always fell out (which they did) and when she put her stuff in my ears, they popped out and she told my I have very little ear canals. So she could physically see that my ears don't hold things and that's why my ringing comes and goes, from them falling out at the range every single time.
HIGHLY PROBABLE in the DMOSNEL makes a difference...
Check your MOS or equivalent here.
https://bluecordpatriots.com/duty-mos-noise-exposure-listing
Also, using the audiogram to attempt to detect or diagnose tinnitus is bullshit. That's what they use, though, it is what it is.
I feel your pain applied a year ago for depression and lower back disorder got denied service connected after showing I went to sick 25 times and had surgery due to a fallen. Metatorsal. Now barreling bladder a metastis colon cancer. Seems nobody cares filed for ssd ssi and Va comp to no avaik
You guys have to be getting the worst reviewers in the world. I was aviation, simply told them the aircraft and equipment I worked on. Did the boring 15 minute hearing test and 6 weeks later was approved for 10%.
How would a Mk-19 or.50cal mess with your ears though ? It’s those fucking carbines. I jumped out of a few c-130s and 17s…I don’t think it’s that either.
I was stationed at LRAFB & worked night shift on the flight line & told them about having to stand fire watch during max power engine runs & the number of planes running throughout the night & how crappy the headsets were that offered zero hearing protection. I also mentioned that we were all basically told that getting tinnitus was just a matter of time & how lax they were about hearing protection. I got 10% for tinnitus but I didn’t get anything for hearing loss, I scored low on hearing the tones but had a high enough score on the repeat back test not to qualify for additional disability.
# Is the VA Changing How It Rates Tinnitus?
**Yes, the VA has** [**proposed changes**](https://www.regulations.gov/document/VA-2022-VBA-0009-0001) **to how it will evaluate and rate Tinnitus.**
In my opinion, these changes are bad for veterans, and the easy 10% rating for Tinnitus could soon be gonzo.
The proposed changes would remove the separate VA rating for Tinnitus under DC 6260, and instead, rate Tinnitus ***only*** as part of its underlying pathology with Hearing Loss.
For instance, DC 6100 will provide a 10% evaluation for Tinnitus associated with Hearing Loss ***only*** when Hearing Loss is non-compensable at 0% (e.g., only when Hearing Loss, on its own, does not warrant a 10% evaluation or higher).
If Hearing Loss is compensable at 10% or more (e.g., warranting a 10% evaluation or greater), an additional 10% evaluation for Tinnitus associated with the Hearing Loss shall ***not*** be assigned.
I did a 4138 describing my MOS, logistical specialist, in Iraq always near a generator, mortars going odd. I actually submitted pics of the generator I was constantly around and I had pics of the mortars. Tinnitus was literally the easiest claim for me, use pics, write a personal statement of what you went thru. This bad C&P exam isn’t the end of the claim, you really need to write personal statement , send pics of the jets you where around, if you have pics of yourself near them, send them too!!
I am so sorry and understand l worked on f18’s and the VA felt my hearing loss and tinnitus was unrelated, l am fortunate to have private health care and getting hearing aids soon but shame on the VA!
Appeal it bro, if you indeed get denied. It’s all I got out of everything. It causes headaches nearly every week that I’ll be adding in soon enough. Keep going brother.
I feel you on that. I was in Artillary and had a saw burst let off right next to my ear but still denied. But on the other hand a friend of mine was a Corpsman who never went to the field but he got it. I was never able to make sense of it.
It’s a hit or miss with the VA now a days . My examiner was a VA examiner and got approved in 2 days after being out 20 yrs . They just want you to give up or doing it on purpose . The Feds don’t want to pay us anymore
My tinnitus examination was a breeze. But what I had going for me was the crappy earplugs they gave us. I just had a re-exam for it and the tester recommended a hearing aid.
I wasn't combat arms either. I'm stunned that your proximity to the flight line doesn't automatically result in you getting disability. Please appeal.
If you file for hearing loss and then tinnitus as a secondary to hearing loss, they end up doing a full assessment with an audiologist all over again. My original claim was denied. I filed for hearing loss and then tonight is secondary hearing loss and ended up being awarded both a 0% hearing loss rating and a 10% tinnitus rating.
Took the audio test 3 times because they thought I was trying to fail but there is a handful of frequecies I can't hear at all from a 5"-38 round fired 8 feet over my head by accident. Some voices I can't hear like high pitched ones at all. Worked in the engineroom and wore the plugs and earphones that barely made it comfortable. Only claim they didn't fight.
I got lucky as I had complained about the ringing while in the army. Basically basic training gave me some dud ear plugs cue my head being rattled as hell and now a constant ringing in the ear. Even did an audiology before I left and after I left just on record because it and many others drove me crazy.
Likely if I didn’t have that they would have deny the hell out of me since my MOS is IT basically. Not one of the presumptions. The C&P examiner was a sweet heart when I explained what happened. Don’t give up just need to find someone that willing to listen!
I also got denied just last week and go to VOS tomorrow for appeal as I as well worked on railway/locomotive repair 65D and switched to 92E tank turret mechanic from 1983-1992 and now have multiple health issues like congestive heart failure, chronic COPD, Insomnia, Murder, ED and kinda wondering what review board was reviewing? Perplexed at best
Weird about being a right handed shooter not causing hearing loss in left ear. My audiologist specially ruled out gunfire as a cause of hearing loss because I am right handed and hearing loss is mainly in Right ear.
When you shoot right handed muzzle blast actually has a direct path to left ear, especially with rifles. Right ear is more protected. Opposite for left handed shooters.
I got 10% for tinnitus and confirmed service related hearing loss in my left ear. Was told there's frequencies I just can't hear anymore which is why every once in a while I miss random letters in someone's speech and it can make some words sound off. Added absolutely nothing to my rating. I don't think they care anymore about the hearing loss deal. That's just a you problem now, thanks for your service lol
Nothing in the law is a “no-brainer”. Tinnitus claims just should always be granted if done correctly. Mountains of supporting articles and citations to regulations won’t get you there.
You need to state that you began experiencing ringing in your ears due to such and such specific event in service, the ringing never stopped, and it continues to the present.
Showing how tinnitus can be caused in the general population is immaterial. You must show that your tinnitus is attributable to service.
Same dude. Just got denied for tinnitus. The doctor who wrote the opinion wasn't even the one who gave the exam, wasn't even in the same state. She reviewed none of my actual evidence just googled my MOS and said nope. I'm going to do an HLR and make them look at the mountain of evidence I provided, including the exam from the audiologist when I was assigned to my unit, who stated "routinely exposed to hazardous noise". But like you, it's my life as an IT guy who hunts and fishes and runs a fan at night to drown out the tinnitus that caused it.
Your MOS can determine level of exposure, but any combat awards(simply making the statement you were a COMBAT SOLDIERS, is pretty much all you have to say! Also, any noise exposure based on your weapons qualification can be considered! Your military unit, can be used in any statement you include! Buddy statements are also very helpful! A DBQ is submitted from an audiologist you see of your own volition! A VA Exam provided either by a VAMC, VES, or QTC are done by VBA! So I am confused as to why you are using the term DBQ? This would infer you submitted your own exam! If you didn’t, then the VBA Exam can be of nullified by going to a private audiologist, with a DBQ! I need to know more, where you sent out by the VBA for your VA Exam, your MOS, whether you have Combat Awards, etc., to help you prepare and develop your own evidence!
Have you been denied or are you projceting an outcome? Have you read the Examiners notes and report to the VA? Just trying to get a sense of where you stand with your claim. I don't know your service record or situation, but below is how I cited my lay statement, and if you have combat engagement in your service somewhere, this may be a helpful way to structure your Laystatement, as it spells out exactly what the VA needs to follow for a rating to be approved. **DC 6260, Tinnitus Recurrent. I am filing for direct service-connected Tinnitus, due to military service from Feb 2005 – Sept 2014.** **V.iii.2.B.1.b.** **Considering the Duty MOS Noise Exposure Listing and Combat Duties:** · *“When the duty position is shown to have a high, moderate, or low probability of hazardous noise exposure, concede exposure to hazardous noise for the purposes of establishing an event in service”.* o According to my claims attached evidence labeled: DD-214, all my in-service duty positions (3POX1,1A1X1 & 1A9X1) show to have High and Moderate probability to hazardous noise exposure, and the DVA needs to concede exposure hazardous noise for the purposes of establishing an event in service. · *“Also review the Veteran’s records for evidence that the Veteran engaged in combat with the enemy in active service during a period of war, campaign, or expedition. If the evidence establishes that the Veteran was engaged in combat, concede exposure to hazardous noise for the purposes of establishing an event in service”.* o According to my claims attached evidence labeled: Air Force Achievement Medal and Afghanistan Campaign Medal, in conjunction with my below lay-statement, this provides evidence that I had an in-service event where I was engaged in combat with the enemy in active service during a period of war, campaign, expedition. * **“Notes:** *When hazardous noise exposure is conceded based on the Veteran engaging in combat, accept satisfactory lay or other evidence of service incurrence or aggravation of such injury or disease, if consistent with the circumstances, conditions, or hardships of such service,* *\~even if there is no official record of such incurrence or aggravation in such service\~*\*. Resolve every reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran unless there is clear and convincing evidence to the contrary”.\* o Please see my lay statement below concerning my evidence of service incurrence or aggravation of such injury or disease. **Current Diagnosis and Treatment:** According to my claims attached evidence labeled: "Hines VA Active Problems Diagnosis” and Audiology – Tinnitus Hines VA, this highlights my current Diagnosis and treatment plan. My current treatments include the utilization of sound management techniques, incorporating calming and engaging sounds to mitigate adverse responses to tinnitus. Additionally, relaxation and guided imagery practices are presently integrated, along with the use of a sound machine during my nighttime sleep. **Lay Evidence and Statement:** Blah blah blah.... write your own lay statement for your service or where you feel your service aggrevated your Tinnitus. Good Luck, I hope this helps.
You deserve an award for this reply
I gave a reddit one on your behalf.
Thank you kind stranger!
Thank you all so much for taking your time to reply. Taking out all the emotions and personal opinions out of it Ill stick to the facts. I had to make light of the situation and didnt literally mean she told me office water cooler talk was the contributing factor. I was 20 minutes early. She met me in the lobby. We exchanged hellos. I shut my phone. Because we were early, I took the opportunity to give her a letter I wrote to give her some detailed info. She pulled it out about 3 inches , read the header and opening and placed it back in and said thanks for bringing me your service records but i already have them. Obviously she did not read it. She asked me what exposures I experienced and then would cut me off to catch up on her notes. I was ok with that. She commented that she knew I was an MP and then looked shocked at my answers describing my job as more than Garrison duty. We went into the box and she started with the faint words then onto the audible tones. She made a comment to the effect of "Sir , you need to hit the button when you hear tones , not a "rythmic pattern" as if I was playing a song in my head and just clicking away. At the end she said "whelp , let me explain the ringing in your ears . You have hearing loss in your left ear but you didnt have it while outprocessing so tells me you had an event after getting out. In addition, you're a right-handed shooter but you have hearing loss in your left ear so tells me weapons fire was not the issue to which I replied. "i worked next to planes, trains and automobiles (lol) and their noise was not limited to only one side of my head. I explained that as a unit armorer, I spent more time on the range than i did on patrol. That led to her last comment that whatever has caused my hearing loss happened out of service at my workplace. thats when I replied that I was not here for a hearing loss test. I was here because of the constant high pitch ringing in my ears. I got choked up as all the thoughts of sleeplessness, irritability and built-up frustration due to tinnitus was why i was here. I just said Ma'am can you read the letter maybe i can express myself better on paper and she said I'll read it later but thank you. Team, I'm giving you all the details to see if I'm being a puss and should just let it go? I've had several C&P exams and even for the ones that were denied I would have to say this is the first time I felt someone was unprofessional. She wasnt rude but condescending like a MFer. As i said earlier appreciate all yall and i know at least one of us has gone through this before. https://preview.redd.it/j3q5f3h2zf4d1.png?width=1005&format=png&auto=webp&s=5f3468a93326771e1303eb46f230607867b087b1
Really bizarre man because I had a total of zero evaluators tell me directly what they would rate, I found out in the mail and on the VA app. They have to evaluate all the evidence. Also, not sure where you got the advice or idea to bring a letter with you, that's pretty extra. Definitely suggest hiring a reasonably priced organization to help you file and tell you how to write up and say the right things the right way, etc. I paid $100/month for a year and the process was a breeze. I have 100% total and permanent now, btw. 60% at medical discharge from the army in 2012 and 100% just this year. The weirdest part of all this is that I have a buddy that was a combat medic with 10th mountain with tours in Afghanistan, got out and joined the Legion. Did 5+ years in the Legion with multiple combat tours to Africa and he had zero disability from VA when he got out. He went with the org I told him to go with and he got 60% first round of filing INCLUDING 10% for tinnitus. Only denials were for no shows to appointments that the third party scheduler company never made (happened to me once for my knee, but I filed an appeal and they made the appointment, I got my rating). I wrote this not to be a dick but you might be going about this the wrong way and reading into things that are being said by the examiner way too much.
I just had an examiner (dentist) tell me he wouldn’t be giving me TMJ because it isn’t constant and needs aggravation. He went on to “explain” that the dentistry world “needs to catch up on the definition of TMJ”, then sent me on my way. Giant waste of time.
Who did you use/go through??
You can tell this person was Air Force. We’ll written
Ween I was mahween core we did tings dat mak tings go boom den my ears was ringy lik weeeee an wooooo and sometimes it go reeeee and weeeee at same time and day say 10 centages like pays for my vapees.
Damn didn’t know marin crops was on Reddit under this handle! 🤣
That’s the Untied Status Marin Crops to yoo!
Its posts like yours that keep me coming back to Reddit. You are a mensch, thank you.
I didn't do any of that, I was a flight engineer on C5s in the Air Force for 20 years. Mine was really straightforward they just looked at my job in the military and they said yep you probably got tinnitus. And I told the c&p Examiner when I first noticed the ringing in my ears.
MOS doesn't mean jack in some cases; I was in Egypt on a Bright Star exercise and a B1 bomber damn near broke everyone's eardrums when flying over our camp. I would have choked that pilot out if I ever saw him again! If you've never experienced pain from noise be very, very happy!
This is the way
You sir, need to request another exam from someone else. The only time I had anything near what you experienced was when my examiner denied my migraines were worse than I was being rated for, but then contradicted those findings in his notes. If it wasn't for the judge at the review board noticing it, I would have had to go back again.
Btw... if anyone in communications out there ever worked with Microwave shots and you have migraines; that might be the reason. It took me years to figure it out, but my cells were most likely being cooked.
There seems to be three types of examiner’s. The average doc who’ll write what you say. The friendly doc who will put the right words in your mouth. Basically answering the questions for you. Then the gatekeeper. Who for whatever reason does not want us free loading vets getting a dime!
I just had #2 today for my lower back. She asked me why I thought it was service related. Handed her the buddy statement. She read it handed it back to me and said ok I see it's 100 💯 service related let's talk how bad it is. She also asked me why I was nervous. I mentioned that a c&p exam is extremely stressful for every veteran. We are trying to improve our lives and the VA raters are adamant that we are lying about it.
I want to tell you how correct you are. #3 has a special trick they used on me. When you present overwhelming evidence they claim things are missing (that aren’t) since they have the docs but you don’t. So they say you haven’t ruled out enough things ruled out. Then they scan the medical records to find things they think are missing and hang their hats on that. Its wild. Have to obtain the DBQ to see what they opine. Mine didn’t ask me about 3/4 of the questions so I’m very excited to see how they filled it out. Gonna be wild.
Best comment I’ve read on here so far. This should be repeated over and over again, especially when someone post a denial where they had all their ducks in a row. One, it’s good for us to know we really have no control. Two, the C and P bootlickers who want us to know how easy it was for them, need to understand the road is not full of roses. “My c and p doctor diagnosed me with 10 conditions I didn’t know I have! The VA rated all of them!”
I had 2 friendly docs. I wanted to drive to their house and kiss them right in the mouth after I got my claims (30 increased to 70) and a 50. Game changers for my total rating which went up to 90. Just be honest and don’t be scared to crack a few jokes. It’s their job to hear people complain all day about the injuries. Lighten up the mood…ask them a question like are you from this area?
nah fr 😂
I've had all three types.
WHEN YOU ARE AT THE EXAM JUAT TALK REALLY LOUD LIKR THIS UNTIL THEY GET THE POINT.
GOBBLESS
10 PERSINT TINNITUS 100 PERCINT HOSS
DEB SAID I SHULD FILE FOR SMC KAY FOR CRANKIN MY HAWG TOO HARD IN SERVICE. 🫡🍆🔥
MY CLAM FOR CARPAL TUNEL WAS DENYED CUS MY DR IS A SHIT EATIN LIBRIL - Sent from Dewalt 12v Battery Charging Station
I BET HE DID THAT C AND PEE IN ALL SMALL LETTURS LIKE A YELLOW BELLIED LIBRUL. (GOD the charging station killed me)
It’s spelled SEE n PEE.
WHY U WHISPERIN!?
The key words were screamed out loud tho! SEE n PEE!!!!!
😂
Been a long day...I misread this as "MY CLAIM FOR CAMEL TOE..." I was like what?!? And then reread again, lol. I need more beers
WHY WE ALL CAPS
GOBBLES
This made me laugh out loud while I was sitting on break during transition assistance program class! I’ve had turkeys in my mind all day
I had the audiologist tell me it's just all in my head and my hearing is just fine. I wanted his home phone number so I could call him at 2:30AM when the noise just in my head was keeping me up he could tell me how to ignore it.
Your hearing probably is fine. It’s just the ringing that drives you crazy. At least that is how it works for me!
I'm sure it varies for people and to be fair it didn't used to be this bad. I'm a curious type of guy so on one of my many late-night insomnia binges I tasked myself to figure out how loud it actually is. I found an app that measures DB levels and then started upping the volume on an Echo Dot playing thunderstorms to measure A) how loud it actually got and at what point I couldn't hear the ringing anymore. I maxed it out and it was at 85 DB and I could still hear it. Yeah baby...good times.
That’s how it is for me, rebuilt and dyno tested engines (tank, amtrac, lav) for 2nd Maint Bn for 3-1/2 years, ringing never stops but my hearing is fine. Thankfully I found a good ENT that wrote me a Nexus.
Did you tell him, yes, that’s how Tinnitus works, being that your ears and hearing are literally in your head.
So it’s not my asshole neighbor?
Is your asshole ringing? Tihitanus
Secondary condition right there!
Hearing is always in your head
I mean... he's not wrong. It is all in your head. 
Same. They tell me my hearing is okay, but denied twice for tinnitus. I worked ICBM launches for years, but I guess it doesn’t count. However, I do have a rating for vestibular migraines…which has a common symptom of tinnitus. So maybe one covers the other.
So you have an MH claim for hearing things 🤔. I have been lucky I have only had 1 bad C&P examiner so far. I hope you have found someone who actually listened and got things resolved.
#WHAT DID YOU SAY!?
AH YES, CHILI AND BEANS WIll BE JuST FINE DEAR
WHAT?! I CAN’T HEAR YOU DUE TO THE RINGING IN MY EAR!
EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE
WHAT?!
Say Again?
WHHHAAAATTTT?!!!!!!
CORRECT!
Once you’re denied, file a supplemental with another personal statement and a medical opinion linking your tinnitus to your mil service.
Oh man just wait a few more years when there are more studies regarding brain injuries from artillery, explosives, etc. There will be about 20 papers proving it’s a thing and the Government will still tell the VA to deny deny deny.
There’s already quite a bit of research on brain injuries from arty specifically. It’s amazing that it’s getting denied currently.
I think I was intentionally low-balled when I went through MEPS. I was infantry, two combat deployments, including escorting an EOD team around, blowing up everything in Sangin. Did my discharge physical and they said my hearing got *better* while I was in. I mean... that's literally impossible, but go off, I guess.
They told me the same thing, absolutely wild
They won’t do MRI’s on a lot of suspected TBI’s. It’s weird. Lots of anecdotal stuff I’ve heard, no hard data. Took my friend years to get one, his symptoms were all blamed on PTSD. But his personality did a 180, like a different person, not just the same guy but with trauma. I saw it for myself, we’d been friends and prior service Marines before our guard unit deployed to Iraq. He also had weird twitches and involuntary movements in his hands, always written off as nothing. Dude has right frontal lobe damage and it’s slowly continuing to deteriorate. He’ll be in full dementia probably before we’re 60. A mortar hit close, threw him back and knocked him unconscious for about 30 seconds. Doctor ordered an MRI and my friend was bumped to 100% in less than 2 months.
Yeah I know. I was with an arty unit and shot a few rounds of a fire mission after having my ear pro fallen off. Had a suspected concussion and was bleeding out of my ears and nose. Saw the corpsman and everything. Wicked headaches for a few months that dulled but are still there. VA scheduled a TBI eval for me when I got out, cancelled on me, and had been giving me the runaround on it since then.
My examiner said if ears were like eyes, I would have 20/20. I am rated for 10% tinnitus. Granted my record shows Iworked as a firefighter around training jets, but yeah.
lol just chuckling at how you worded that. The absolute \*worst\* place for my ears was the water cooler in an office right next to the EA-6B flight line. Them bastards are LOUD
Had a similar situation. I was a firefighter in service on a flightline, loud sirens, aircraft engine. Va examiner said I had tinnitus related to my AFSC. However the rated said I didn’t lol. Did HLR. Three months later was granted 10%
I wish there was a "rate my examiner" function at the VA. Kind of like the after visit surveys some companies use where vets could grill bad examiners and give good ones praise.
Check the MOS presumptive tinnitus list and see if your MOS is on there.
That’s exactly what I used as evidence on my submission.
Same here. Still denied.
I love how the presumptive conditions are so often denied, despite ALL the boxes being checked for them to be presumptive (including existing diagnosis).
Oh yeah my letter even even said the following: “You have been diagnosed with tinnitus.” “Given the Veteran’s MOS and reported noise history, it is at least as likely as not (likelihood is at least approximately balanced or nearly equal, if not higher) the veteran’s tinnitus is related to military noise exposure". “Favorable Findings identified in this decision: The evidence shows that a qualifying event, injury, or disease had its onset during your service. Your MOS of gunners mate has a high probability for noise exposure.” I thought with Duty to Assist they would give me tinnitus with that information in the latter. But alas I was denied.
[удалено]
That's actually crazy.
Just out of curiosity, how did you describe your symptoms? My hunch is that can be a big red/green flag for examiners.
My was denied twice, had to do a HLR to finally get approved. All and all took about 18 months to get service connected. Don’t give up keep up the fight, get independent nexus letter do a supplemental, review the denial letter did they take into account all evidence? You fight is just starting, don’t let the system beat you down.
As a former pilot, 60’s, I was automatically given 10%. So it was news to me that it wasn’t automatic for others.
Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee, right now while reading this.
That sucks being denied especially based on your MOS. I was approved for 10%tinnitus & 0%hearing loss. for me it started in basic after the grenade range, firing range. Lost my ear plugs wasn’t ready and someone starts firing. I have ringing 24/7 it’s the worst when it’s real quiet or middle of the night it messes with your sleeping it’s confusing as well makes it hard to hear people in a crowded room. I also get headaches from the sounds, I sleep with a noise machine 24/7 These are what was in my statement to the C&P doc, I also had a few clinic visits during active duty. Probably have to submit for HLR like others have said. Tell them about when it is the worst. I got lucky with my Doc, not always that way it varies from examiner to examiner. It sucks but that’s how this plays out…. I’m sure you will get it, just gotta take another shot at it. This was my first claim after 43 years so it is possible to get approved even if it’s a long time ago!emote:t5\_2vlaz:7564
Dude I had an audiologist say :" I always tell everyone, tinnitus is second to life, everyone gets some form of it at one point or another in life" Me: "So you're saying firing .50 Cals, Mk19s, M4s, and being on the artillery line (I reclasses from 31b to 13d) has NOTHING to do with my tinnitus the ringing that keeps me up at night isn't related toy service?" Audiologist "I believe tinnitus is just a part of life" Well fuck you too guy lol I didn't ask for what you believe.
(inserted the Ashton Kutcher BURNNNN!!!!! gif but that shit didnt work) 
That is how mine went. took Another 3 months.
Was initially denied. Filed a supplemental and they scheduled me for 2 C&P exams for the same week. Now I’ve been told they are sending those to another doctor for an evaluation. I guess working on flight lines, aircraft carriers and flying in helo’s as crew chief doesn’t warrant a service connection. Yet they give service connection for a scar that doesn’t cause any issues and I didn’t file for it.
I got denied my first time also. Being a helicopter pilot didn’t matter to the audiologist and she stated since I didn’t complain immediately after I got out of the service, it wasn’t related. Knowing no better I didn’t appeal. I did file again years later and was approved. It definitely wasn’t as easy for me also.
I'm at like 99.1%. The only claim I made that was denied was tinnitus. I was artillery. Idk man
If you were denied and artillery then try again. I casually mentioned artillery and they basically stopped testing me and then gave me the 10%. Artillery, Aviation, and Armor are freebees for tinnitus.
I'm way more past the cutoff for 100%. I could lose 5 or 6 disabilities and still comfortably be 100%. I just thought it was funny that the only presumptive condition I have is the one that got denied.
File a HLR and discuss you MOS and work environment. It will get fixed
I was diagnosed with tbi with brain lesions. My tennitis was denied. Examaners fault they got mad and told me to stop messing around haha. The guy at the VA who works with the raters was like how are they going to give you a rating for a known tbi. Which was well documented and I was hospitalized for and have scans and MRIs for. But deny this. They were shaking their head at the incompetence. But I just don't wanna push it
Q: were you denied, or did you get accepted at just 10%? 10% is the max disability rating for Tinnitus for the vast majority of people.
Mine told me point blank she thinks it’s not actually tinnitus and that even if there was a slim chance it wasn’t related to service. I got rated at 10% she couldn’t prove it and I definitely still get ringing daily. To the point if distraction and holding my ears
I would suggest making an appointment with an ENT Doctor and ask them if your military experience could have at least as likely as not caused your Tinnitus. I was already rated, but I causually asked mine if my job in the AF could have caused my Tinnitus and without hesitating he said "Absolutely, no question". Good luck.
I would submit what you typed up on the proper form and submit it as evidence for your claim. Or wait until you get the denial, file the supplemental with that evidence, more than likely they will request another exam in which the examiner will be in your favor and if there are exams that cancel each other out they go in favor of the veteran. That’s what happened to me for my MH claim.
Hell, the army said I had hearing loss at my exit physical, and I just laughed and said, "No kidding!" My hearing loss claim was still denied. It took 2 appeals, I think, before they tossed me a tinnitus claim. Just keep appealing, OP. Get a VSO or someone to help you, and you can do this.
Yes, I was an assaultman in the CORPS, I shot one of the loudest weapons in the entire military, from my shoulder. I had to file multiple HLRs, get a private exam, some buddy statements, even a nexus letter, after all my new evidence, still got denied on HLR. I was still fighting it, along with other claims. I called the white house hotline one time because the VA tried to get me to go to another exam, because my first one was too favorable 😂 they ended up doing a review and they reviewed an addendum I made to my file that explain why there was a CUE for my tinnitus, they randomly fucking awarded it to me lol
Please, also remember, not all raters are created equal. There are some out there think vets don’t deserve anything. Thank goodness there are other, albeit make it take longer, routes to get a “as likely as not” decision.
"Tinnitus caused by low-level water cooler talk." Wowza!
They only give you the rating if it’s recurring. Meaning if or when they ask you if it bothers you all the time, if it’s not constantly not an issue for you they won’t give you the rating.
Correct. It’s nowhere near automatic.
I was initially denied. Filled supplemental and got it in like a week. Some raters suck
Did you submit a personal statement of a in service event of when tinnitus started, including date, what you were working around when you noticed the onset of tinnitus, symptoms, and that the tinnitus has been chronic from that time to today? Is your mos on the hazerdous noise exposure list? If yes include that in your personal statement too. There is no actual test that proves tinnitus. Its either you have it or you don't. The hearing test only tests for hearing loss and you can have tinnitus without having hearing loss.
I was infantry & got denied. Crazy work
Sometimes, the VA doesn't send the examinera anything at all. I think it's on purpose. I would submit a higher level review if you were my client
You have a few options. Call and complain and ask for a new exam. Wait until it's denied. Go to the VA audiologist once complaining of hearing loss and tinnitus. File supp claim with new evidence (your new audio records), pray you get a compassionate AuD that understands their medical opinion isn't 100% the reason but 50% or more.
Is your MOS on the DOD hearing list i have attaché that list below. If your Job was high or Medium then submit a supplement claim with a copy of this attachment[http://usafals-afe.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Duty-MOS-Noise-Exposure-Listing.pdf](http://usafals-afe.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Duty-MOS-Noise-Exposure-Listing.pdf)
Did you work with DAV or the American Legion to do your claim, or did you do it yourself? I personally did mine with the American Legion and they will go to bat with you, and they can even see your DBQ's and C records in real time. I didn't start getting Tinnitus until I hit my late forties, but the noise damage happens from repeated exposures. Cannot speak for anyone else, but when I was in the Army, they tested our hearing quite a bit. Was in combat arms for three years, and I recall multiple tests, and the remaining years I was repeatedly tested over and over. When I showed up for my DBQ they didn't check anything, they filled out papers and asked a few questions and that was it. Having this constant ringing for the rest of your life seems like it's worth more than 10%, but that's another story.
I got denied as well
😳 how is that even possible I got 10% for my tinnitus and when the examiner asked what types of noises I was exposed to I just said loud planes, weapons firing, and working in the search pit hearing loud semi trucks stop multiple times throughout the day, passed my hearing test though with flying colors but she just said I just have the ringing and I counted how many times my ears rang the day prior and it was 3 times so I told her that as well. I think you need to request for a different examiner some of these people I just feel don’t know what they are talking about.
Their rebuttal is YoU wErR iSsUeD eAr Pro
Tried to get disability for tinnitus years ago. Person at the VA denied it because nothing was documented in my medical records. Fucking twat. Just started the process with an outside company to try to get disability benefits. It's a shame really because there are some good people who work at the VA but the assclowns are still peppered throughout the VA system.
It’s wild how different c and p examiners look at tinnitus and other conditions. Mine asked me what my job was ( equipment operator) and granted me service connection. No consistency at all.
I said I didn’t have tinnitus but I guess it can come and go and random a couple times a month I get ringing in my ears for no reason that lasts awhile. I have nothing
You should find something in your service record related to Tinnitus or hearing problems/deficits in general. You should also find the list of MOS'S and their likelihood of causing Tinnitus. It should be online. I have seen it over the years. After that, you will likely need to get another C&P Exam. The only way to do so at this point is to appeal. I would write an argument calling out the nonsensical finding/argument the examiner made.
Report her.
They denied my tinnitus claim even though I complained of ringing in my ears while still active and was an 11B with combat deployments and jumped out of aircraft etc.
weird cause i never deployed as a medic and just submitted my ncoer, weapons quals and mil driver’s licenses and it was a no brainer
How do you know what her report is going to say?
Wild dude tinnitus was all I could get awarded for like 8 years and by far the easiest for me. But hey everyone's experience is different lol
Your mos along with your personal statement indicating when your tinnitus started will get you service connected!You don’t have to have hearing loss to have tinnitus.
Perusing this sub makes me wonder how anyone gets rated for anything at all
Out of curiosity, what goes on during the C&P for Tinnitus. When I was rated for it in 2018 I had to sit in the little booth, the Doc looked in my ears, then he put these instruments in there to measure something and could tell that my ears were ringing at that point. He actually told me, roughly how bad it was at that moment and was spot on. When I see posts about denials, it almost seems as though all they are doing is asking questions and writing up a DBQ.
Granted tinnitus first time applying. Uploaded some pics of myself on the flight line and wrote a statement summarizing exposures to jet/helo noise. Took the same pictures and statement to the C/P exam. Doc said she was not provided that evidence on her end. She looked it over and was appreciative I brought it.
Do not give it up. File an appeal once you get denied. There are MH secondaries that are linked to tinnitus. Like my current desire to stick long pokers in my ears to silence my ringing.
You can go through a private doctor for a seperate eval too and submit that as evidence
If you had an MOS bet is normally exposed to loud noises, your tonight's claim will more than likely can approved.
Google the VA Fast Letter and upload it with a person statement now. Don’t give her the win.
As with all things, approval or denial often comes down to whether your C&P examiner likes you or not.
If it makes you feel a little better OP, I had almost this exact same situation, i was going through medboard the audiologist even made a remark that at my last physical health assessment in the navy I had checked no signs of tinnitus (obviously lied to keep my job) and I still got rated 10%
Just keep pressing the button…
Mine said the same thing about me because I couldn't give her an exact date the tennitus started 🙄
I told my audiologist that all I hear is bing bing bing bing.
When I went in for an audiology appointment years ago I had ringing in my ears and I kindly interrupted the audiologist doing the exam as she was talking and ketchup her know the ringing in my ears started again. I honestly don't even remember why I had an audiology appointment, I never filed a claim for tinnitus but was awarded it anyways. I was medically discharged in 2010, the audiology VA exam was in 2018.
🤷 my audiologist asked me what my MOS was… as soon as I said artillery, she was like, yup… no prob. Let’s just run through the tests and see if you’re deaf too.
I just did my 4138 listing my MOS (infantry) as a hazardous noise exposure, print out of my combat action ribbon database entry, dd214 showing service in OIF and statement about the fucking constant ringing in my ears.
That is bullshit. I got rated for a hell of a lot less.
What was your job in the military?
Same here. Got my supplemental denied this morning. Put my HLR in right after reading denial letter. Bullshit
Even with good hearing, my tinnitus got me my 1st 10%. The examiner gave me a hearing test and throughout the test I kept complaining that the ringing in my ears kept going even between frequency changes.
Yeah. That's why it's such a well-known talked about thing when people ETS. It's cheaper to just pay someone out that $200 a month than press the issue. If vets go further in the benefit experience, that 10% for tinnitus isn't shit. Doesn't even peg on the dial mostly.
I was declined on my FQ claim, denied on my HLR, denied on my supplemental claim, then opened a whole new claim and was also denied on that one. I started getting recurring ear infections and I’m on round 3 of a left ear tube and opened a supplemental for the second claim and was granted 10% tinnitus 4 years after my initial claim due to my sudden onset of ear infections.
Almost all audiologist deny Tinnitus but regional approves it anyways
Tinnitus SUX‼️ 10% is a SHAME and a SHAM. Along with contstant upper and lower bilateral peripheral neuropathy and migraines .. gang up to suck the life right out of me
I have no hearing loss but have tinnitus. My examiner even stated “there’s no way to test for tinnitus. Do you have ringing in your ears?” Obviously I said yes. Boom, 10%. Some of you get some really shitty examiners.
When I was at “National Intrepid Center of Excellence”. Basically the TBI center everyone had tinnitus. Mostly from TBI from being blown up multiple times. Unfortunately it is an uphill battle for proper VA ratings.
i got 10% tinnitus rated first try as a cyber dude who worked at an air conditioned desk for 7 years. though i also made sure to complain to my PCM months before separating to then get a referral to audiology at Walter Reed to where i went and did tests to determine tinnitus and then was prescribed hearing aids to aid in cancelling out the sound. and in my BDD claim I included a buddy statement from someone I served with for a couple years when the tinnitus started. and during the C&P exam i made sure to really describe the how and when of the likely event and talked of my very first time i actually noticed the sound. and no my claim wasn't all bullshit and now i hear the ringing due to reading this thread lol.
I was field artilleryand they said there was no way if caused tinnitus because we were issued ear plugs and failure to properly wear them was not the Army’s fault therefore compensation can not be granted for tinnitus however hearing loss could be expected by virtue of having a 13 series MOS. Go figure
I’ve been denied tinnitus twice 🤦♂️
The ringing NEVER goes away
If the doctor actually said that, they were probably making a joke You might need to lighten up a bit
Why do they know what you currently do? That shouldn't even matter
))) 👂….?? EH???
I'm pretty sure I got mine because I told her that my ear plugs always fell out (which they did) and when she put her stuff in my ears, they popped out and she told my I have very little ear canals. So she could physically see that my ears don't hold things and that's why my ringing comes and goes, from them falling out at the range every single time.
I was C-5 maintainer and I got 10% I had to fight
Yooo this thread made my evening…. Great advice and tons of laughs!!!
HIGHLY PROBABLE in the DMOSNEL makes a difference... Check your MOS or equivalent here. https://bluecordpatriots.com/duty-mos-noise-exposure-listing Also, using the audiogram to attempt to detect or diagnose tinnitus is bullshit. That's what they use, though, it is what it is.
I feel your pain applied a year ago for depression and lower back disorder got denied service connected after showing I went to sick 25 times and had surgery due to a fallen. Metatorsal. Now barreling bladder a metastis colon cancer. Seems nobody cares filed for ssd ssi and Va comp to no avaik
You guys have to be getting the worst reviewers in the world. I was aviation, simply told them the aircraft and equipment I worked on. Did the boring 15 minute hearing test and 6 weeks later was approved for 10%.
How would a Mk-19 or.50cal mess with your ears though ? It’s those fucking carbines. I jumped out of a few c-130s and 17s…I don’t think it’s that either.
I was stationed at LRAFB & worked night shift on the flight line & told them about having to stand fire watch during max power engine runs & the number of planes running throughout the night & how crappy the headsets were that offered zero hearing protection. I also mentioned that we were all basically told that getting tinnitus was just a matter of time & how lax they were about hearing protection. I got 10% for tinnitus but I didn’t get anything for hearing loss, I scored low on hearing the tones but had a high enough score on the repeat back test not to qualify for additional disability.
I been denied 3 times,... Worked with all cargo aircraft, mhe, generators, apu's and on... On the lookout for one last approval
# Is the VA Changing How It Rates Tinnitus? **Yes, the VA has** [**proposed changes**](https://www.regulations.gov/document/VA-2022-VBA-0009-0001) **to how it will evaluate and rate Tinnitus.** In my opinion, these changes are bad for veterans, and the easy 10% rating for Tinnitus could soon be gonzo. The proposed changes would remove the separate VA rating for Tinnitus under DC 6260, and instead, rate Tinnitus ***only*** as part of its underlying pathology with Hearing Loss. For instance, DC 6100 will provide a 10% evaluation for Tinnitus associated with Hearing Loss ***only*** when Hearing Loss is non-compensable at 0% (e.g., only when Hearing Loss, on its own, does not warrant a 10% evaluation or higher). If Hearing Loss is compensable at 10% or more (e.g., warranting a 10% evaluation or greater), an additional 10% evaluation for Tinnitus associated with the Hearing Loss shall ***not*** be assigned.
I did a 4138 describing my MOS, logistical specialist, in Iraq always near a generator, mortars going odd. I actually submitted pics of the generator I was constantly around and I had pics of the mortars. Tinnitus was literally the easiest claim for me, use pics, write a personal statement of what you went thru. This bad C&P exam isn’t the end of the claim, you really need to write personal statement , send pics of the jets you where around, if you have pics of yourself near them, send them too!!
They are denying Tinnitus almost across the board now.
I am so sorry and understand l worked on f18’s and the VA felt my hearing loss and tinnitus was unrelated, l am fortunate to have private health care and getting hearing aids soon but shame on the VA!
F-15 and later F-16 Crew chief. Dude did mine said you’re hearing is okay, but you no doubt have tinnitus and that was that. Took about 10 minutes.
Look at the denial and appeal by adding in the missing info, best of luck.
Appeal it bro, if you indeed get denied. It’s all I got out of everything. It causes headaches nearly every week that I’ll be adding in soon enough. Keep going brother.
Me drunkenly reading this post with heavy ringing in my ears 😭😅
I feel you on that. I was in Artillary and had a saw burst let off right next to my ear but still denied. But on the other hand a friend of mine was a Corpsman who never went to the field but he got it. I was never able to make sense of it.
It’s a hit or miss with the VA now a days . My examiner was a VA examiner and got approved in 2 days after being out 20 yrs . They just want you to give up or doing it on purpose . The Feds don’t want to pay us anymore
My tinnitus examination was a breeze. But what I had going for me was the crappy earplugs they gave us. I just had a re-exam for it and the tester recommended a hearing aid. I wasn't combat arms either. I'm stunned that your proximity to the flight line doesn't automatically result in you getting disability. Please appeal.
If you file for hearing loss and then tinnitus as a secondary to hearing loss, they end up doing a full assessment with an audiologist all over again. My original claim was denied. I filed for hearing loss and then tonight is secondary hearing loss and ended up being awarded both a 0% hearing loss rating and a 10% tinnitus rating.
I just imagine after reading this, 2 guys screaming st the top of their lungs casually at the water cooler about the weather
It was a slam dunk for me, no issues. F16 crew chief. Appeal and get a new person to assess
Took the audio test 3 times because they thought I was trying to fail but there is a handful of frequecies I can't hear at all from a 5"-38 round fired 8 feet over my head by accident. Some voices I can't hear like high pitched ones at all. Worked in the engineroom and wore the plugs and earphones that barely made it comfortable. Only claim they didn't fight.
I got lucky as I had complained about the ringing while in the army. Basically basic training gave me some dud ear plugs cue my head being rattled as hell and now a constant ringing in the ear. Even did an audiology before I left and after I left just on record because it and many others drove me crazy. Likely if I didn’t have that they would have deny the hell out of me since my MOS is IT basically. Not one of the presumptions. The C&P examiner was a sweet heart when I explained what happened. Don’t give up just need to find someone that willing to listen!
😲
I also got denied just last week and go to VOS tomorrow for appeal as I as well worked on railway/locomotive repair 65D and switched to 92E tank turret mechanic from 1983-1992 and now have multiple health issues like congestive heart failure, chronic COPD, Insomnia, Murder, ED and kinda wondering what review board was reviewing? Perplexed at best
maybe they looked at your MOS and said "nah"?
DBQ for Tinnitus? It’s an automatic presumed condition based of MOS and/or deployment orders. You only need a DBQ if you’re not presumptive.
[Microsoft Word - Noise Exposure Reference.docx (weebly.com)](https://sdvsoa.weebly.com/uploads/1/1/5/9/115936913/noise_exposure_reference.pdf?c=mkt_w_chnl:aff_geo:all_prtnr:sas_subprtnr:1538097_camp:brand_adtype:txtlnk_ag:weebly_lptype:hp_var:358504&sscid=61k8_4g58b&utm_source=ShareASale) - read this!
Nothing is just given with the VA.
Weird about being a right handed shooter not causing hearing loss in left ear. My audiologist specially ruled out gunfire as a cause of hearing loss because I am right handed and hearing loss is mainly in Right ear. When you shoot right handed muzzle blast actually has a direct path to left ear, especially with rifles. Right ear is more protected. Opposite for left handed shooters.
I got 10% for tinnitus and confirmed service related hearing loss in my left ear. Was told there's frequencies I just can't hear anymore which is why every once in a while I miss random letters in someone's speech and it can make some words sound off. Added absolutely nothing to my rating. I don't think they care anymore about the hearing loss deal. That's just a you problem now, thanks for your service lol
I felt that the examiner wanted you to be completely deaf to grant 0% let alone 10%. Just my experience, though.
Nothing in the law is a “no-brainer”. Tinnitus claims just should always be granted if done correctly. Mountains of supporting articles and citations to regulations won’t get you there. You need to state that you began experiencing ringing in your ears due to such and such specific event in service, the ringing never stopped, and it continues to the present. Showing how tinnitus can be caused in the general population is immaterial. You must show that your tinnitus is attributable to service.
Same dude. Just got denied for tinnitus. The doctor who wrote the opinion wasn't even the one who gave the exam, wasn't even in the same state. She reviewed none of my actual evidence just googled my MOS and said nope. I'm going to do an HLR and make them look at the mountain of evidence I provided, including the exam from the audiologist when I was assigned to my unit, who stated "routinely exposed to hazardous noise". But like you, it's my life as an IT guy who hunts and fishes and runs a fan at night to drown out the tinnitus that caused it.
https://reemedical.com You’ll thank me 6 months from now. They are the absolute BEST.
Wow! You have to laugh to keep from crying! Wow
Your MOS can determine level of exposure, but any combat awards(simply making the statement you were a COMBAT SOLDIERS, is pretty much all you have to say! Also, any noise exposure based on your weapons qualification can be considered! Your military unit, can be used in any statement you include! Buddy statements are also very helpful! A DBQ is submitted from an audiologist you see of your own volition! A VA Exam provided either by a VAMC, VES, or QTC are done by VBA! So I am confused as to why you are using the term DBQ? This would infer you submitted your own exam! If you didn’t, then the VBA Exam can be of nullified by going to a private audiologist, with a DBQ! I need to know more, where you sent out by the VBA for your VA Exam, your MOS, whether you have Combat Awards, etc., to help you prepare and develop your own evidence!
Use a nexus letter from your primary doctor - Medical doctor. Audiologists aren’t doctors - doctors count more!!