Also learn how to remove a dependent from your benefits. Does Sleep Apnea Qualify as a VA Disability? Unfortunately, most service members are unable to avoid long-term exposure to loud noises because of the occupation. When speech discrimination is 92% or less, a performance intensity function must be obtained. To file a VA hearing loss compensation claim, a military veteran needs to fill out VA Form 21-526, Veterans Application for Compensation and/or Pension, or apply online using VONAPP. /* buttons background color */ You have total blindness without the ability to perceive light in the other eye. *The veteran may have hearing loss at a level that is not considered to be a disability for VA purposes. .wpdt-c .wpDataTablesWrapper table.wpDataTable thead th.sorting_asc:after { Table #3: Numeric Designation of Hearing Impairment Based Only on Puretone Threshold Average (PTA) If you have more than one child or your spouse receivesAid and Attendance benefits,be sure to also check theAdded amountstable,and add these to your amount from theBasic SMC ratestable. A rating is assigned to the patient based on age and the degree of hearing damage. Consequently, veterans must receive a hearing loss diagnosis from a medical professional to begin the process of seeking VA disability benefits. #8. Where Can I Find the Hearing Loss and Tinnitus Disability Benefits Questionnaire (DBQ)? Measurements will be reported at the frequencies of 500, 1,000, 2,000, 3,000, and 4,000 Hz. #12. On the Basic SMC rates table, find the amount for your disability rating and SMC letter designation. Menieres Syndrome secondary to Hearing Loss, Adjustment Disorder secondary to Hearing Loss, Unable to Interpret Reflexes Due to Artifact. If youre trying to increase your VA rating for Hearing Loss and Tinnitus, you need to prove to the VA that your symptoms are now worse and warrant the higher rating criteria by law. border-bottom-color: rgba(5, 46, 102, 0.95) !important; And theres BREAKING NEWSThe VA has proposed to eliminate the separate Diagnostic Code (DC) for Tinnitus, and instead rate Tinnitus under Hearing Loss as follows: DC 6100:Hearing Lossthat is not caused by another condition is rated based on thehearing loss rating system. The starting presentation level will be 40 dB re SRT. .wpdt-c.wpDataTablesWrapper table.wpdtSimpleTable thead th, How to File a Claim on VA.gov (step-by-step)! Both ears must be examined for hearing impairment even if hearing loss in only one ear is at issue. Contact Us Youve physically lost both eyes, and have lost the use of one foot (rated as less than 50% disabling), You have total blindness without the ability to see light, and have lost the use of one foot (rated as less than 50%). 40 .wpdt-c.wpDataTablesWrapper table.wpDataTable.wpdtSimpleTable thead th:hover { 10 For example, if the best ear has a Roman numeral of II, and the worst ear has a Roman numeral of V, then the appropriate Hearing Loss VA Rating is 10%. Note C: If Hearing Loss is service-connected in only one ear, in order to determine the percentage evaluation from Table 3, the ear with either perfect hearing or (non-service connected Hearing Loss) will be assigned the Roman numeral I. .wpdt-c.wpDataTablesWrapper table.wpdtSimpleTable thead th, Heres the brutal truth about VA disability claims: We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. How Your Two Tests Are Used to Calculate Your VA Hearing Loss Disability Rating Your speech discrimination score will be a percentage of the words you understood during the test. } Dear Veteran, Heres the brutal truth about VA disability claims: According to our data, 8/10 (80%) of veterans reading this message right now are underrated by the VA. This is uncommon as Hearing Loss is mainly directly service connected. As a result, patients receive a 0% rating for this medical condition. The ringing in your ears isnt caused by an external sound, and other people usually cant hear it, which is a condition called Subjective Tinnitus.. If youre stuck, frustrated, underrated, and currently rated between 0%-90%, VA Claims Insider Elite is for you! I am rated at 20%; however, I suffer from sensorineural hearing loss which shows levels as deep as severe to profound. Its FREE to get started, so click Go Elite Now below to complete our 3-step intake process. Then, these electrical signals are transmitted to your brain where it processes the signals into sound. While we still have our home base in Florida, Instructions: Measure and record puretone threshold values in decibels at the indicated frequencies (air conduction). Or you have total blindness with only the ability to perceive light in one eye, and: Or you have total blindness with only the ability to perceive light in both eyes, and: Or you have blindness in both eyes that requires you to have daily help with basic needs (like dressing, eating, or bathing), and: You may receive an SMC-N 1/2 designation if any of these situations are true for you: Or you have total blindness with only the ability to perceive light in one eye, have physically lost the other eye, and: Or you have total blindness with only the ability to perceive light in one eye and total blindness without the ability to perceive light in the other eye, and: You may receive an SMC-O designation if any of these situations are true for you: Or you have total blindness without the ability to see light, and: Or you have physically lost both eyes, and: Review special monthly compensation rates for past years. Levels L through O cover specific disabilities and situations. Learn how we assign SMC levels L through O. .wpdt-c .wpDataTablesWrapper table.wpDataTable thead th.sorting_asc, Richmond, VA: 7400 Beaufont Springs Drive, Suite 300, Richmond, VA, 23225 You have blindness in one eye and total blindness in the other eye with only the ability to perceive light, You have blindness in both eyes, and have lost the use of one foot (rated as less than 50% disabling). If accepted into our ELITE membership program, youll get free up-front access and permission to use $13,119 worth of proprietary VA claim resources, including access to our network of independent medical professionals for medical examinations, disability evaluations, and credible Medical Nexus Letters, which could help you get a HIGHER VA rating in LESS time. Related Article 10 Benefits Of Being A Military Wife (and 5 not-so good things). 20 . Exposure to loud noise may cause wear and tear on the hairs or nerve cells in the cochlea that send sound signals to the brain. XI Tinnitus is no laughing matter: It can make your life miserable and negatively impact your work, life, and social functioning. Feel free to complete this, on our website or review our ebook The Road to VA Compensation Benefits below. 90 As a fellow disabled Veteran this is shameful and Im on a mission to change it. A. 20 Brian Reeseis a VA benefits expert, author of the #1 Amazon Bestseller You Deserve It: The Definitive Guide to Getting the Veteran Benefits Youve Earned, andfounder of VA Claims InsiderThe Most Trusted Name in Education-Based Resources for Veterans.. Each ear is not rated separately and only one rating can be given for both ears. ***The veteran may have a significant change in hearing threshold in service, but it does not meet the criteria to be considered a disability for VA purposes. Poorer Ear C. Did Hearing Loss exists prior to service? When sound waves pass through the outer ear it causes vibrations which are amplified as they travel through the inner ear. Find the 2023 special monthly compensation rates that may apply to you. /* th active/hover background color */ 0 If hearing loss is determined, the next step is to prove the damage is service-connected and therefore you are entitled to disability benefits. Explain the rationale. Your email address will not be published. 2022 rates (effective December 1, 2021)2021 rates (effective December 1, 2020)2020rates(effective December 1, 2019)2019 rates (effective December 1, 2018)2018 rates (effective December 1, 2017). If Tinnitus (e.g., the ringing sound in the ear) is present along with the hearing loss, the minimum rating is 10%.. Youve lost the use of one knee, and have had one hand amputated, Youve lost the use of one knee and one hand. /* th border color */ Hearing impairment issues that include "vertigo less than once a month, with or without tinnitus," receive a 30% rating. A C&P exam for Tinnitus involves a series of verbal questions, to include a physical examination, and diagnostic testing (Audiogram by an Audiologist, even though Tinnitus cannot be detected). Even if an ear has no Hearing Loss, its still used to determine the overall disability that results from hearing loss for both ears. Eardrum VA Rating Veterans will receive a 0 percent VA rating for perforated eardrum. 0 The VA rates hearing loss through federal code 38 CFR 4.85 Evaluation of Hearing Impairment. Youve had one elbow and one knee amputated. 0 div.dt-button-collection button.dt-button.active:not(.disabled) { If your spouse receives Aid and Attendance, you would also add $185.21(which is the added amount for a spouse receiving Aid and Attendance, for a Veteran with a SMC-L designation). D. At least as likely as not (50% probability or greater) the veterans Tinnitus is due to a known etiology (e.g., Traumatic Brain Injury). .wpdt-c .wpDataTablesWrapper table.wpDataTable thead th.sorting_desc, Ask the veteran to describe in his or her own words the effects of Tinnitus (i.e., the current complaint on occupational functioning and daily activities). Youve had one elbow amputated, and have had one leg amputated so close to the hip that you cant wear a prosthesis. Because service members are often exposed to loud noises, including gunfire, armored vehicles, and other combat-related noises, they can lead to both tinnitus and hearing loss. 203, San Jose, CA 95134 However, you will still need to follow a complicated process to state your case: Step 1: Schedule an examination for hearing impairment with a state-licensed audiologist. Explain the rationale. Youve had one knee amputated, and have had one arm amputated so close to the shoulder that you cant wear a prosthesis. Unfortunately, this proposal will harm many transitioning military and veterans alike because most of us have Tinnitus without Hearing Loss, but the new rating criteria under Hearing Loss will require BOTH to get the minimum compensable rating of 10%. For the purposes of applying the laws administered by VA, impaired hearing will be considered to be a disability when the auditory threshold in any of the frequencies 500, 1000, 2000, 3000, 4000 Hertz is 40 . You have total blindness without the ability to perceive light in the other eye, and have deafness in both ears (rated as 10% or 20% disabling). 10 VA Ratings for Hearing Loss are based on the hearing ability of BOTH ears. However, most medical conditions listed under hearing impairment do not qualify for full disability coverage. For VA purposes, veterans must un. Hearing loss is divided into three different types: Mixed hearing loss is a combination of conductive hearing loss and sensorineural hearing loss.