#2 of 10 Most Common VA Disability Claims: Hearing Loss

Hearing Loss was the #2 most commonly claimed disability for all Veterans, with 93.6% of Veterans rated between 0% and 10%. It is very common for hearing loss to be rated at 0%,unless you are able to get your hearing loss service connected.

The Audiogram is the only way to detect and diagnosis hearing loss!

If you have hearing loss, that does not mean that it is significant enough by VA standards to receive compensation.

The first step is to prove that you have a certain level of hearing loss.

The VA considers two factors for rating hearing loss after an examination:

Decibel loss at five different frequency ranges (low to high)

An audiogram measures the level of decibel loss at the various thresholds.

For VA purposes, an average loss of 26 or more decibels in three of the five frequency ranges constitutes hearing loss.

Speech discrimination — how well you can hear normal conversation

This test involves the presentation of a series of monosyllabic words and determining how well you can hear them.

A “speech recognition” score of lower than 94% corresponds to a number related to hearing loss.

Even if an audiogram shows that one ear is 100% deaf, you are still not guaranteed compensation.

If the hearing loss in the other ear is not significant, your likelihood of receiving benefits decreases.

Service Connected Hearing Loss

The second step relates to service-connection for the hearing loss.

Determining that your hearing loss is connected to your time in service can make or break whether you receive compensation.

VA audiologists infrequently link hearing loss with noise exposure in service if there is any other plausible contributing cause.

Depending on your MOS, your chances of getting benefits may increase or decrease.

#3 of 10 Most Common VA Disability Claims: Post Traumatic Stress Disorder

The 2018-2019 secret VA data shows that PTSD was the #3 most common VA disability claims for all Veterans, across all demographics.

For example, 90.7% of Veterans were rated at 30% or higher for mental health, while 41.1% of Veterans were rated at 70% or higher.

Therefore, mental health conditions, including PTSD, major depressive disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, somatic symptom disorder, among others, are “high-value” claims.

We call mental health conditions high-value claims because they have a very high likelihood of getting rated at 30% or more.

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a mental health condition, which is “triggered” by a terrifying event—either experiencing it or directly witnessing it.

Some mental health symptoms include flashbacks, nightmares, anxiety, depression, insomnia, suicidal thoughts, anger issues, work problems and relationship issues.

All VA mental health claims fall into one of three categories: 1) PTSD Combat, 2) PTSD Non-Combat / Military Sexual Trauma (MST), and 3) All Other Mental Health Conditions.

PTSD always has in-service stressors, which cause or make the PTSD worse, such as exposure to death, threatened death (fear or hostility), actual serious injury, threatened serious injury, actual sexual violence and threatened sexual violence.

Non-combat PTSD stressors include things such as PTSD MST, service-member suicide, serious car accidents, training accidents, victim of rape and witnessing a rape, among others.

Moreover, PTSD can worsen if the Veteran has either of medication side effects,          tinnitus, chronic pain, TBI, sleep apnea or insomnia.

To file a claim that will qualify you for the disability benefits due to PTSD or any other type of mental health condition (there are 37 ratable VA mental health conditions under the law.

Here are some mental health VA claim tips and evidence requirements for each:

PTSD first-time filer

If you are a Veteran filing a VA disability claim for PTSD for the very first time, you must meet the following evidence requirements: identification of in-service stress indicating the salient information such as dates, description, geographic location, unit assignment and dates of assignment; statement in Support of Claim for Service Connection for PTSD; Statement in Support of a Claim – VA Form 21-4138; Buddy letter/s (highly recommended; and C&P Examiner will complete the DBQ for PTSD Initial.

PTSD increase

If you are already rated for PTSD by the VA, but believe you are underrated and deserve a higher VA rating based upon your symptoms, we highly recommend the following supporting evidence: DBQ for PTSD Review completed by a U.S. Board Certified Psychologist, Statement in Support of a Claim – VA Form 21-4138 and buddy letters.

These documents are important because you must show that your PTSD symptoms are worse, which means you qualify for the higher PTSD rating criteria under the law.

Other Mental Health Conditions

Anything that’s not PTSD falls under the category of “Other Mental Health Conditions and include things such as major depressive disorder VA claim, generalized anxiety disorder VA claim, and somatic symptom disorder.

We recommend obtaining a DBQ for Other Mental Health Conditions completed by a U.S. Board Certified Psychologist, Medical Nexus letter for the first-time filer, Statement in Support of a Claim – VA Form 21-4138 and buddy letters.

Buddy letters are especially crucial if lay evidence is needed to further substantiate the approximate timeframe that your mental health condition was caused or made worse by your active duty military service.

This is legally referred to as the “Nexus” to prove service-connection. In the absence of medical evidence, VA raters will consider first-hand witness testimony (buddy letters) to help make their decision.