Hearing loss due to flight line work in the Air Force in VA Disability Claims (General) Forum

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Hearing loss due to flight line work in the Air Force

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jerryarlington	Hearing loss due to flight line work in the Air Force		Lead	[-]
Posts: 1 Dec 8 11 10:28 AM	Tags : None I am a school teacher now. I had to get hearing aid to keep my job. I worked on the flight line in the Air Force from 1961-1966, in California and in Karate and Bangkok, Thailand. The audiologist stated after my hearing test that he knew that I had worked on a flight line because I had the typical ski slope hearing loss, dropping off to sever hearing loss in the high ranges. The greatest and most detrimental to my occupation is in the spoken language range, especially women and children. I was amazed at how much better I can hear now. I was only picking up about 2-3 words out of 10 and was having to piece together what was being said. My wife was constantly complaining about the volume of the TV, especially when a commercial aired because they boost the volume! Is there a claim form that I can file to get help paying for my hearing aids? I don't want to claim disability but I would like to have my hearing aids paid for. I have always had tinnitus since I have gotten out of the military but I just don't listen to the constant ringing.
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nmfxstc		#1	[url]	[-]
Posts: 25193 Dec 8 11 10:46 AM	You need to file a claim for hearing loss...start by having your discharge physical exam results in your hand, then seek the services of a VSO at any of the organizations (DAV, VFW, AmVets, AL, etc.) The threshold for hearing loss is extremely high, but in many, many cases, if you have a hearing loss, VA will indeed provide hearing aids at no cost (and those babies are top of the line!!!) Fillean meal ar an meallaire.
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Dan6135		#2	[url]	[-]
Posts: 178 Dec 8 11 10:48 AM	See a VSO and file a claim for hearing loss. You may get rated at 0% but it doesn't matter because any rating will make you eligible for hearing aids. I am 0% and the VA paid. Do you have ringing in your ears? If so you can get a 10% rating for tinnitus.
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VABA		#3	[url]	[-]
Posts: 2498 Dec 8 11 12:05 PM	And in some issues, being a 10% SC vet is much more valuable to you than being a 0% vet. Go for 10. Tinnitus will fill that bill. >Insert Witty Saying Here< Ozanam71, Bishop Hogan73, USN74, SERE, VQ1, Ranger75, Midway76, Coral Sea77, Constellation78, Kitty Hawk79, Atsugi80, UCF84, USAF85, Clark86, Taegu87, Osan88, Spangdahlem89, Ramstein91, Sheppard93, RET95, WWU04, MBA05, PMP08, VAMC09, ALS Widower 2011
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hamdude1	I am with you there Jerry	#4	[url]	[-]
Posts: 660 Dec 11 11 7:29 AM	Was in the Air Police . Too many B-58 take-offs, KC-135's RB 57's at Ltttle Rock. Then 6 months in Nam with daily explosions and to top it off 5 years working next to the dentist. high speed dental drills. Can't hear nothing. Tinnitus is real bad. 24/7 high pitched whine. Am already SC at 0% since 1984. What do you have to do to get the process for the hearing aids started. Just go to the VA clinic?? Have a pending claim for increase on the hearing and a new one for the tinnitus. Old Air Policeman First Group of Operation Safeside Palace Dog 33 Nam in 68 at Phan Rang, Bien Hoa,TSN, and Pleiku. 821st CSPS MSgt. USAF Ret. 1964 to 1984 60% total
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hutsky		#5	[url]	[-]
Posts: 2782 Dec 11 11 12:43 PM	hamdude1 wrote: Am already SC at 0% since 1984. What do you have to do to get the process for the hearing aids started. Just go to the VA clinic?? Have a pending claim for increase on the hearing and a new one for the tinnitus. Two disability situations qualify an individual for hearing aids from the VA--either having a 0% hearing loss disability or having a compensated disability for any cause and being enrolled in the VA medical system. If your SC 0% disability is for hearing then contact the Eligibility Office at the VAMC for a referral for audiology if the Audiology Clinic will not schedule you without a referral. If you have a 10% or higher disability for any other problem then request a referral through the Primary Care Clinic. It sounds like you meet the first case so there is no need to wait for a decision on the increase or tinnitus to obtain hearing aids. This should not apply in your case since the disability they are treating is service connected (SC) but it is possible that a person receiving aids for a non SC loss may be required to pay the co-payment for the services of the specialist ($55 I think). Some people who are subject to co-payments receive this bill and think they are being billed for the hearing aids.
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hutsky		#6	[url]	[-]
Posts: 2782 Dec 11 11 1:19 PM	jerryarlington wrote: Is there a claim form that I can file to get help paying for my hearing aids? I don't want to claim disability but I would like to have my hearing aids paid for. I have always had tinnitus since I have gotten out of the military but I just don't listen to the constant ringing. I do not know of any means of obtaining reimbursement for treatment or equipment obtained before a disability is approved. It is normal to approve a disability as of the date it was filed. However, if determined to be service connected the VA should assume future care and maintenance for your hearing. I am personally familiar with one case similar to yours. About a year ago I assisted a friend who worked in a flight line environment in the 1959s. He was granted a 0% disability (that is what his loss rated) after the VA was able to dig up hearing test reports that showed a definite loss, although not disabling at the time, between the time he entered service and when he left four years later. He was provided hearing aids at no cost. While medical records are irrefutable it also is possible to have a substantiated opinion from a professional establish the connection to service.
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BrokenSolder		#7	[url]	[-]
Posts: 319 Dec 11 11 1:20 PM	Iam in group III at the VA. I have 10 claims pending for service connection. Just go a pair of top of the line $7000.00 and didn't pay a dime
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