VA Regional Office - Closed

Louie, thanks for the information

I sent an email last night and got a call this morning however it was from the veteran advocate office

They don't deal with the department I'm waiting on for my exam but stated they'll have someone else get back to me to get the ball rolling by Thursday

After having explained my situation, the gal said that sort of thing is all too common and veterans end up waiting forever

Told her I thought it was crazy since this was a fully developed claim I submitted myself

 

It’s a shame it had to take an e-mail to someone higher up to hear back. Glad the ball got rolling though. Hopefully they can expedite the process as well seeing how they’ve fumbled the ball already a couple times. Best of luck brother!

 

Follow-up

A gal from VA regional in Oakland called me yesterday evening, to -

Confirm my mid-June appointment was a no-show or not to which I responded with, it was supposed to be a rescheduling like the past 3 appointments were

It took her a bit but she was able to pull up the many notes and phone calls dating back to April to confirm I indeed had made requests to use a different network, etc as the place they kept getting me sent to has a strict no children policy.

So, yesterday she said ok and said it won't count against me and that she will ensure my claim status doesn't automatically proceed to the decision stage.

Apparently, the system goes from evidence gathering to decision after the date of last appointment scheduled whether I attended the appointment or not.

I should expect to hear back in the next 10 days about an appointment set for the hospital itself as they do allow children.

This morning, I got a call back from the advocate office (same girl that called me Tuesday morning) as a follow-up to ensure someone reached out to me about this whole thing. Was really glad to see that they are on it to get me taken care of, as she's a veteran herself (Navy corpsman) and wants to do whatever she can to help in my situation.

I asked if all of this was because I had sent that email to higher up, and she said yes it was. Felt like I had skipped an entire chain of command cause I'm not that guy but she said what I stated (and what they pulled up when they looked me up) prompted an immediate call to action.

At least someone cares about us vets. Sucks not everyone can share the same experience though.

 

unfortunately seen this way too many times. The system is broken. There’s way too many program/apps that the VA looks at and not everyone is looking at that. I know an executive who led a project in the creation of VBMS. A system with the idea of it being a universal one that everyone can look at to streamline the process. Not sure if that ever went anywhere.

I can imagine a veteran just giving up in a situation like yours and that’s sad to see. Lots of vets feel that way because they see too many horror stories. This may be a very unpopular opinion but I believe it’s time to privatize them. The issue is that the VA is the only VA. There’s no competition.

 

It's hard for me to imagine so many people trying to work the system, but it could be the biggest reason why there are so many applications/claims to look at.

I'm not trying to say no one deserves anything, but I have met two people I personally know that shouldn't be getting anywhere near as much as they are. I'm not a doctor by any means though, which is why I don't make that claim any higher than two but it sucks that the possibility is there which in turn becomes an issue for those with direct evidence linking a current issue with shit one dealt with in the service.

Just sucks in general.

 

agree there’s definitely some people who game the system. Saw a huge fair share of them. But generally, I’d say 80% or higher are not trying to game the system. That small percentage is what ruins it for others who deserve it.

 

Sometimes a T.B.I is more disabling than a limp.

 

It is

(Diagnosed with TBI)

 

Does anyone wear a hearing aid? Does it help with tinnitus?

 

Doubt it?

Only way I can get the sharpness felt from tinnitus when my ears ring is my pushing in my ear shut and holding it for as long as the ringing lasts (5-10 seconds).

Weird place to ask.

 

I should add an update to this thread - two days ago I got a letter directly from the VA.

Got an appointment scheduled directly with the hospital on Aug 15th so, progress!

No more going through a 3rd party and all that shit as they allow children to be present at the VA hospital itself.

 

I wear them. They don't directly help with tinnitus. Most hearing aids today are Bluetooth capable and there are apps you can download that will let you play white noise and other sounds through the hearing aids that can help mask tinnitus. But nothing will make tinnitus go away, I've been dealing with it for 30+ years, it's just something you have to get used to. Best way I have found to help with tinnitus is to have music or some other noise source playing in the back ground as often as possible. The more noise the less you'll notice the ringing. I also recommend the hearing aids. I wish I'd gotten mine a decade sooner, they seriously might have saved my marriage.

 

Interesting.

My ringing just occurs when it wants to, and it sucks but I've noticed no real pattern to it.

 

In my case the ringing is ALWAYS there, how loud and noticeable it is varies with the ambient noise level and my attention to it. I have had it since the early 90s, so I've gotten used to it, but it never goes away. I recon I've just gotten good at accepting it so it not as big a deal anymore.

 

Had it for far less myself, since 2006-2007 if I took a guess?

Yeah I'm used to it by now as well, but it still stops me to say "FUCK" and shut my ear to make the sharp pain subside a bit until it stops.

It sucks but it is what it is right?

 

We’re all veterans with different levels of tinnitus. I was recommended hearing aids from the VA and was hesitant.

And these are the golden reply’s I look forward to. I have an appointment with my PMC tomorrow and I’m going to ask for a referral to ENT. Thank you!

 

Pretty much, there is literally nothing that can be done to correct it. So it is what is!

From what I know of it, in my opinion, your tinnitus is probably always there too at some level. You likely don't realize it's happening in the background until something (like your ear pain) causes you to focus then you notice it, then you take action and your attention will go elsewhere and it won't bother you for a while, and the cycle repeats...

 

Oh for sure.

A new thread could've revealed more info for everyone is what I meant.

I have measurable hearing loss in both ears, more in my right, as well as tinnitus.

Hearing loss was denied, but tinnitus was awarded.

Maybe someone somewhere knows something that can provide more info to get something like that covered by the VA? Hearing aids are supposed to be expensive as hell.

 

Funny thing, and you must be absolutely right because I often wear headphones when I do work on my PC at night and the family is asleep.

Normally got music playing while I do some CAD work for the next day and sometimes I'll pause the music (and leave it off unintentionally) and I keep hearing a faint ringing only to pull the ear cup off my ear and hear nothing but the AC or something. This was just last night (and pretty much every night I'm on the PC working).

So I'm thinking that the padded, over the ear headphone, is enough to block all noise and that's when my tinnitus is actually noticeable (when it isn't Super noticeable).

 

If you have any service connection, I don't think you need a referral to get into the hearing clinic. Your appointment is tomorrow so it's not going to be any faster, but otherwise I'd tell you to call your local VA hospital and ask for the hearing clinic. At my VAF it's separate from the ENT clinic.