Can A Veteran Claim Disability For Hip Pain
Related conditions include lower back pain and degenerative arthritis. Certain types of cancer can also cause hip pain. The VA allows its veterans to claim disability for hip pain if they developed it due to their time in the service. This condition can directly stem from extreme strain placed on the hip or due to overuse.
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How Hearing Loss Is Measured
So how do you know if you have hearing loss and to what degree? Dont guess or try to treat your inability to hear with over-the-counter or mail order solutions. Instead, make an appointment with a qualified hearing healthcare professional. Your family physician may be able to refer you, or you can visit our online directory and find a trusted professional in your community.
In this case, this person cannot hear high-pitched sounds unless they are fairly loud. This will make hearing speech difficult. High-frequency hearing loss is a fairly common hearing loss pattern for people with age-related hearing loss. Others may struggle to hear low-frequency sounds and other sound ranges.
The hearing healthcare professional will administer a series of hearing tests. The outcome of the evaluation is known as an audiogram, a graph of the softest sounds you heard during your test. Heres an example of an audiogram of someone with mild-to-moderately-severe high-frequency hearing loss. As you can see, hearing thresholds in each ear are not always the same.
Based on the outcome and the lifestyle information you provide, the hearing healthcare professional will be able to recommend a course of treatment, which may include the purchase of hearing aids and enrollment in auditory therapy classes. Keep in mind, untreated hearing loss puts you at risk for developing a host of other health-related problems, including depression, dementia and Alzheimers disease.
Secondary Basis Medical Conditions
Fortunately, there are several medical conditions that service members may cite on a secondary basis like:
- Asthma
- Traumatic Brain Injury
- Tinnitus
It is recommended that you meet with a medical professional if you have symptoms of sleep apnea.
The medical condition is serious and you may be entitled to VA disability benefits as a result.
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How Does The Va Rate Hearing Loss
posted on May 11, 2021
Hearing Loss
According to the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs , more than 2.7 million veterans currently receive disability benefits for hearing loss. Veterans are 30 percent more likely than nonveterans to have severe hearing impairment. Those who served after September 2001 are four times more likely.
Most of the hearing loss in the military is due to noise exposure often from gunfire, aircraft, tanks, heavy equipment, and roadside bombs. Normal age-related hearing loss can make the problem worse.
How to Establish Service Connection for Hearing Loss?
In order to receive VA disability benefits it must been proven to the VA that the hearing loss is the result of time in service. For a direct service connection the following three things must be established:
Current Diagnosis
The first step to getting VA disability for hearing loss is showing that there is a current diagnosis. The VA is strict about the type of diagnosis it will accept when it comes to hearing loss. In general, hearing loss is usually diagnosed when there are certain decibels that are lost at different frequencies of hearing.
For VA purposes, a veteran must undergo a hearing exam by a licensed audiologist. The audiologist must administer two tests in order for the VA to accept a diagnosis of hearing loss:
In-Service Event
Your Hearing Loss May Also Qualify For Free Or Low
If the VA determines you have service-connected hearing problems, then theyll approve your claim for disability benefits. Hearing aids can certainly help some veterans hear better than they do without them. Depending on what caused your own hearing issues, the VA may provide the following at no cost to you:
- Free hearing aids and any other required accessories
- Replacement batteries as needed
- Repairs and hearing aid replacements for the rest of your life, provided you maintain eligibility for VA healthcare services
However, you cannot get this free or low-cost benefit until after you file a VA disability claim for hearing loss.
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An Attorney Could Help You Pursue Veterans Hearing Loss And Tinnitus Claims
A condition that leaves you with a reduced ability to hear or a ringing in your ears may be the result of a head injury, a single exposure to loud noise, or persistent exposure to moderate noise. If this exposure occurred while you were on active duty and has a negative effect on your current quality of life, you might qualify for VA disability compensation benefits.
An experienced lawyer could help you gather the necessary evidence to pursue a claim and assist you with filing the case. If you have already filed a claim and received a denial, our team of attorneys could also help you file an appeal based on your hearing loss or tinnitus. Call VetLaw today to learn more about veterans hearing loss and tinnitus claims.
Va Hearing Loss Claim Rating
According to the Department of Veterans Affairs official site, hearing loss and/or hearing damage affects nearly 30 million people in America alone. Hearing problems such as tinnitus are described by the VA as among the most prevalent service-connected disability among American Veterans. More than half of people over 75 will experience some form of hearing loss or hearing-connected issues.
What is the maximum VA rating for hearing loss? This question and others related to it are very important for veterans filing VA medical claims for service-connected hearing damage. And, as the above suggests, since hearing loss or damage is one of the most common VA medical claims, it is a very good idea to understand how the VA approaches such claims.
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How Do I Win My Va Hearing Loss Claim
It is highly recommended you obtain a medicalNexus opinion for Hearing Loss completed by qualified medical provider.
This will help you win and service connect yourVA disability claim for hearing loss, even if youve been denied in the past.
Guess what else?
Thats exactly what we do for veterans inside our VA Claims Insider Elite program!
If you need a medical nexus letter for your VA hearing loss claim,
Symptoms Of Hearing Loss
Chronic exposure to loud noises and aging both contribute to hearing loss which is common in most adults 65 or older.
There are other factors that can contribute to temporary hearing loss such as excessive earwax.
If you are having problems with your ears and hearing, you should schedule an appointment with a medical professional or ear specialist.
There are several signs and symptoms attributed to hearing loss:
- Muffling of speech/sounds
- Frequently asking others to speak louder or more slowly.
- Needing to turn the volume up high on electronic devices.
Hearing loss is detrimental enough that it can cause victims to want to withdraw from social settings and conversations to avoid the inconvenience.
As a result, hearing loss can start to negatively alter other functions of your lifestyle which makes finding treatment important.
Once again, you should speak with a medical professional if you are having issues with your hearing.
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Qualifying Factors For A Veterans Hearing Loss Or Tinnitus Claim
Servicemembers pursuing VA benefits based on hearing loss or tinnitus must satisfy two main criteria, the first of which is demonstrating that the incident that caused the hearing loss occurred while on active duty. Second, they must either receive a diagnosis from a doctor that indicates hearing loss or provide lay evidence showing they suffer from tinnitus. This evidence, whether medical or lay, should also document the effect the conditions have on their life.
After a veteran has submitted that information, the VA would assign them a disability rating from zero to 100, which determines the amount of monthly benefits they can receive. If you are suffering from hearing loss or tinnitus and wish to pursue a claim, a VA-accredited lawyer can help you demonstrate that your injury occurred while on active duty, as well as work to gather medical evidence of how this condition affects your day-to-day life and connect your disability to your military service.
How To Receive Va Disability Benefits For Hearing Loss
In order to receive VA disability benefits for hearing loss, veterans must prove to VA that their hearing loss is the result of their time in service. For direct service connection, they must establish the following three elements: a current diagnosis of hearing loss an in-service event that may have caused or contributed to their hearing loss and a medical opinion definitively linking the in-service event to their hearing loss.
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Causesof Hearing Loss Or Tinnitus In Veterans
With veterans, hearing loss and tinnitus can be caused by noise exposure to gunfire, tanks, bombs or aircraft noise.
Hearing problems can also occur due to age, or a combination of both noise exposure and age. Veterans are 30 percent more likely than nonveterans to have severe hearing impairment as well.
Even though hearing protection is mandatory and standard issue for all active-duty service members, hearing loss can still occur.
The good news is, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs can help. Nearly 3 million veterans receive compensation for tinnitus or hearing loss.
How Is Hearing Loss Defined
Hearing loss is defined as any degree of hearing impairment of the ability to comprehend sound. If you are diagnosed with both hearing loss and tinnitus, you may be entitled to one separate rating for hearing loss and another separate rating for tinnitus.
The following is needed to establish service connection for VA disability:
Along with the list above, two types of hearing tests are needed to prove a claim for hearing loss. These tests will include a controlled speech discrimination test and a pure tone audiometry test. The Maryland CNC test is a particular word list that is used to test your ability to hear spoken words. A pure tone audiometry test is different tones that must be detected at varying frequencies . Even if you only claim hearing loss in one ear, both ears should be tested. Examinations will be conducted without the use of hearing aids. This will prevent any biased results. These tests should be performed by a state licensed audiologist.
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How To Establish Service Connection For Your Hearing Loss
In order to receive VA disability benefits, you must prove to VA that your hearing loss is the result of your time in service. For direct service connection, you must establish the following three elements: a current diagnosis of hearing loss, an in-service event that may have caused or contributed to your hearing loss, and a medical opinion definitively linking the in-service event to your hearing loss.
Hearing Loss As A Va Disability
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs compensates veterans for injuries they receive during military service that become disabilities. One of the most commonly claimed VA-recognized disabilities is hearing loss. As one of the most self-explanatory conditions, hearing loss is disproportionately evident in veterans due to their level of exposure to loud noises and physical forces.
The VA provides varying levels of compensation depending on the severity and symptoms of an individuals hearing loss. However, its worth noting that the VA defines hearing loss by different standards than typical non-military doctors.
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Whats The Right Rating For My Va Hearing Loss Claim
If you get confused with how VA rates most types of disabilities, your VA hearing loss claim will probably make your head spin. Nevertheless, we will try to tackle it here to explain as simply as possible how VA hearing loss claims are supposed to be rated.
On the one hand, these claims should be easy for VA to get right since it is all based on numbers from the audiological testing. On the other hand, though, there are several steps to evaluating a VA hearing loss claim properly.
We have seen several instances where VA did not go through each of these steps. The result? You guessed it a lower VA hearing loss rating than the veteran deserved. Keep reading to see how to avoid this for your claim.
Do I Need a Certain Type of VA Hearing Loss Test to Support my Claim?
Yes. The test must include a controlled speech discrimination test and a puretone audiometry test. The Maryland CNC test is a particular word list that is used to test your ability to hear spoken words. A puretone audiometry test is different tones that must be detected at varying frequencies . Even if you only claim hearing loss in one ear, both ears should be tested. Examinations will be conducted without the use of hearing aids.
Who Needs to Conduct My Test for VA Hearing Loss?
How Your Two Tests Are Used to Calculate Your VA Hearing Loss Disability Rating
You will then combine these two Roman numeral in Table VII to get the overall VA hearing loss rating.
An Example of a 60% VA Hearing Loss Disability Rating
Hearing Loss Va Ratings Schedule For 2020
Hearing loss is a significant problem for veterans of the military.
According to the VA, more than 2.7 million veterans currently receiving disability for hearing loss or tinnitus.
However, most medical experts argue the number is even higher as not every veteran is aware of their hearing problems or have sought compensation for the disability.
Regardless of the specific number of veterans receiving disability benefits for hearing loss, the problem is prevalent in the U.S. Armed Forces.
Additionally, those that served after September 11 are 4x more likely to have hearing loss compared to civilian counterparts.
The bottom line is hearing loss is a bigger dilemma for veterans compared to most individuals that have worked in the civilian world.
Hearing loss can significantly alter your life, negatively impacting your quality of life and daily functioning.
For this reason, the VA currently offers disability benefits to veterans with hearing loss.
The VA rates hearing loss through federal code 38 CFR 4.85 Evaluation of Hearing Impairment.
The VA ratings are designed to examine each patient on a case by case basis for hearing impairment.
A rating is assigned to the patient based on age and the degree of hearing damage.
The higher percentage the patient receives, the higher likelihood of receiving approval for a disability claim and therefore more compensation.
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Are You Eligible For Hearing Aids From The Va
To receive hearing aids or similar devices , you first must qualify for VA health benefits. Once enrolled, veterans can seek out benefits for hearing tests, examinations and hearing aids. To begin this process, veterans should apply for enrollment online or by calling 1-877-222-VETS or visiting a local VA healthcare facility or regional office.
How To Get Va Disability For Hearing Loss
Hearing loss in military service and tinnitus, which refers to ringing in the ears, are fairly common problems for veterans and people in the military. In order to get VA disability for hearing loss, veterans need to prove their hearing loss was impacted by their time in the military. You need a current diagnosis of your hearing loss condition, evidence of a military service event that affected your hearing, and a medical opinion from a doctor or healthcare professional that links your current hearing loss to that specific military service event.
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How Does The Va Rate Tinnitus
The standard VA disability rating for tinnitus is 10%. If you experience tinnitus symptoms in both ears, its still a maximum rating of 10% . If you have hearing loss along with tinnitus, which is the case for many disabled veterans, the VA will compensate for both. If you have both tinnitus and hearing loss, be sure to claim them both.
What if you experience hearing loss years after your active duty discharge? You can still claim hearing loss. Youll need to submit evidence that you were frequently exposed to high levels of noise during military operations. This can come in the form of lay evidence, sometimes referred to as buddy letters, that attest to the fact that your military duties included excessive noise exposure such as munition ranges, equipment maintenance, or aviation assignments.
Tinnitus can be hard to diagnose. The VA will conduct a C& P exam to verify your tinnitus diagnosis. You will take at least two tests at this exam, a speech recognition test, and a pure tone audiogram. Together, these test results are analyzed to come up with a tinnitus diagnosis.
Va Appeals For Hearing Loss
A Veteran reserves the right to appeal any VA decision, whether they are appealing a denial or appealing a disability rating that is too low. If you are not receiving the benefits from the VA that you feel you deserve, making an appeal is your best option.
During the appeals process, you may have an opportunity to present the VA with additional evidence that can contribute to getting a higher rating. One of the aspects of the appeals process that can be highly effective is presenting a private doctors report to the VA. If the VA has ruled that your hearing loss is not severe enough to warrant benefits, you can get an Independent Medical Examination and present the results of the examination to the VA. If a private, non-VA-affiliated doctor rules that your hearing loss is more severe than the VA had concluded, your rating may be increased.
If you are a deaf or hard of hearing Veteran struggling to get the benefits you deserve from the VA, Berry Law Firms team of dedicated, skilled attorneys can help you appeal the VAs decision to deny your claim. We can also help you get a higher disability rating if the VA has approved your claim but given you a rating that is too low. By helping you navigate the appeals process, one of our attorneys can be the teammate you need by your side when fighting to receive disability compensation. You shouldnt have to go through the appeals process alone were here to help.
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