Name: MO E-mail: (Not Available) Subject: Re: VA Hearing Test
Don
There are two considerations. One is loss of hearing and the other is Tinnitus.. which is a constant, high pitched ringing in the ears.
If you think you have both, then you need to file for each, separately. (Hearing loss & Tinnitus)
The hearing test isn`t for Tinnitus, because they can`t test for Tinnitus. There`s simply no way for them to hear the ringing that YOU hear. The best you could do in order to be compensated for Tinitus is to convince them that you`ve had it ever since your `combat` service in Vietnam. If you have the ringing and it seems to interfere with your understanding what other people say, you should probably mention that.
The hearing test (you`ve probably had one before) is where they put you in a sound proof booth and play tones of various frequencies and volumes through a set of headphones - that you wear during the test. In some way or another, usually with a hand held button device, you signal the technician when you can or cannot hear the sent frequency tone. It`s a painless test.
I have a hearing loss which was (very fortunately) documented in a test I took at the company I worked for before and after Vietnam. The second test, when compared with the first showed a hearing loss in a specific range. That proved to the VA that the loss was indeed caused by something that happened in Vietnam. If not for the documented test results I kept for all those years, the VA would have probably told me as they seem to tell everyone else, `Your hearing loss has nothing to do with combat noises.`
In summary, I think for hearing loss they would rather set you up with the latest technology in hearing aids, than to compensate you with money.
If your test shows a hearing loss they will call you back in for a talk and a `fitting` and then a week or two later you`ll be called back in to receive and discuss your new hearing aids. The discussion part is about using, cleaning, and changing batteries...supplied to you by the VA for life.
You`ll be able to hear a flea fart if they did a good job using your test results to create your hearing aids. But in some cases, hearing fleas fart is not a goal.
