tinnitus

jimeple

I'm just curious. Is the persuit of a disability payment worth it. When I was dicharged I was told it was a $50 payment for 10% loss.

Ant takers?

rstbkt69

123.00 if you are 10% and service connected. Google VA compesation rates

82nd airborne infantry

contact a local dav rep they will help you

rogue_rob

I got 10 for it, which is max.

shotgung

I get $117 for ringing in my ears

krazyshot

Yep, $123 is what they are paying me.(Viet Nam era).

pfm41

I just began the process and am waiting on the appointment with the VA contract audiologist. I have been out since 91 but the ringing is bad enough now that it really bothers. The problem with VA comp payment is that if you are retired military and the disability is service connected and not combat related, you only get the tax break on the payment because the retirement before-tax pay is reduced by an equal amount.

rawhide54

Go for the evaluation. It's worth it. I got 10% for tinnitus & a 60% hearing loss in one ear but, when they started looking me over they found I was beat up enough to give me 30% total and, with one kid under 23 yet, I get $453 per month. If you were ever treated for a condition while you were on active duty and its in your military medical records, its fair game to pursue a disability percentage if its bothering you now. The worst thay can do is say "No" and we all sure as Hell deserve it more than the average social services sponge.

As for the retirement issue, MOAA and other veterans organizations are pushing hard for full concurrent receipt and there's every reason to expect it to be passed within the next five years. That's an elephant that's being eaten a few bites at a time but we're making progress. Replacing Obama with a veteran in 2012 would help a lot.

JTacticalFirearms

When I got retired out Army/VA said they dont pay for hearing loss anymore since they issue and require you to where ear plugs/hearing protection. How can you hear an insurgent sneaking up to throw a grenade in your hide site with ear plugs in? Also once bullets start flying you cant yell: "Time Out!" to the enemy to put in your ear plugs hoping Haji stops lighting you up with RPK fire.

nards444

I truely have it and just applied for it. I have worked with the Military order of the purple heart in filing this and I suggest looking on their website and having them help you in filing. Its a free service. What I can tell you is this. Tintinitus is something they can not prove or prove that you have so most think its a gimme. From what I have been told is if you have some hearing loss in that ear it doesnt have to be a lot, it's a lot more likely they will give it to you. Also you should claim it because even if they give you a 0 rating that means you can always be re-evaluated in the future and get a higher rating. Also if you are a 0 the VA will take care of hearing aids if you ever need them which they provide the top of the line aids and can cost you 5-6 grand for them. Also if you get a 10% rating it opens up a few more services such as better terms on a Va loan and some other things. And as others have said you will get 123 bucks a month at 10%.

This is my plan if I get the 10% and I have hearing loss as well in that ear so i might ger more.

123 a month doesnt seem like a lot but my plan is to save it all or invest it for 30 year until i retire at that point if you saved it all and didnt get any interest you would have 44 grand after 30 years and if you invested it and could get a 5% return you would have 100 grand after 30 years. Be a nice retirement present.

flapjack

As I have posted here and in the VNV forum, I was the first comped for accoustic trauma-tinitus. They put me through a lot of testing, mostly for harassment, including taking blood from my feet as a "hearing test." One of the issues that arose in all of this-which ultimately lead to the board of veterans appeals, was that all of the "hearing tests" were conducted in a sound proof chamber, to which we responded that I DIDN'T LIVE IN A SOUND PROOF CHAMBER. It is also important to be speciffic about problems you encounter because of the hearing loss, which is usually in the high pitched sounds that certain letters are formed with ie, If you say the letter "S" loudly and long, and then say the letter "D" the same way, you will immediately see what I am trying to describe. If there is ANY background noise at any level, your ability to discern what is being said, especially where high pitched letters are part of the words used, is going to be distorted. And there are a lot of them-t-s-c-j-k-p-v-z, all depending how they are used, and it is easy to see how we can mistake one for another. Make a list of how this disability affects you in living situations, get your family and friends to help-it should be an eye opener, at least for you. Ask them if they have noticed that you are reading their lips when they speak to you, because you are. Not hearing someone well affects you relationships, your safety, your security, causes stress, and affects your enjoyment of everyday life, and much more, but YOU have to make an issue of it, and put it on paper with your service rep-VFW DAV-etc-and then they-the VA, has to respond. Does anyone like to listen to music? watch TV? drive a car? ride a MC? enjoy target shooting? This is not the time to suck it up and keep mooving-you've already done that-now it's time for the GOV-the VA-to start making good on the benefits promised us, and make us whole again, as best they can, and that usually means compensation. Don't go at this with your hat in your hand, people have labored and sweat and died so you can get this stuff, it belongs TO YOU! And stop thinking you don't deserve anything because of all those that are worse off than you, those guys would want you to get everything you are due-that's just survival guilt talking in your head, which is a prmary symptom of PTSD, which you also need to look at. I came home with some stuff, more than I knew, and they played games with the hearing issue, which made my auburn haired Mother angry, and after a lot of work and a boat load of bovine scathology, we can all be comped for tinnitus, but don't stop until you have been compensated for everything-think about what the word "compensated" means. If you let this stuff go by, you just make it harder for the next poor guy or gal that is comming along behind you from the next horrible hole they send us. I will tell you that through all of this-over 40 years of dealing with VA, if I hadn't belonged to Jesus, I wouldn't have made it, and there are some other folks that, while they may not be aware of it, should be greatful to The lord that I belonged to Him too. What is needed is relationship, not necessarily religion, just ask Him into your haert today, He has already forgiven you, but even folks that win the lottery have to show up and claim it! Flapjack