Tuesday, June 19, 2012

How to Get VA Benefit for Tinnitus

By Dan Howard

The United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) provides financial support for veterans who experience medical disabilities as a result of their service. If your military service has resulted in chronic tinnitus, or ringing of the ear, then you may be eligible for disability benefits if it is accompanied by moderate hearing loss or other vestibular problems. You will not be eligible for benefits for tinnitus in the absence of other auditory problems. To file for VA benefits, you'll need to send the VA a form requesting compensation along with documentation of your auditory condition from a licensed audiologist.

Schedule a hearing examination with a state-licensed audiologist.

Tell the audiologist about your chronic tinnitus. Tell him or her about any other hearing-related impairments that you have experienced in connection with your military service, including dizziness, ear discharge and external ear damage.

Undergo a hearing examination. The examination will include tests of your pure-tone hearing performance and your ability to hear speech. The VA will use these two tests to determine the disability rating of your hearing loss.

Request documentation of your hearing examination performance and any other auditory impairments your audiologist diagnosed.

Obtain the Veterans Administration Form 21-526, the Veterans Application for Compensation or Pension.

Fill out all information requested in parts I through VI. Skip parts VII through X, then fill out parts XI through XII and sections II and III.

If you need help completing the request form, contact the Veterans Administration help line at 1-800-827-1000. You can contact the VA at 1-800-829-4833 if you are using a hearing impaired TDD phone line.

Print the completed form and attach the medical documents you obtained from your audiologist. Mail the documents to your local Bureau of Veterans Affairs.


http://www.lenderva.com

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