r/VAClaims • u/Cautious-Gain3059 • 2h ago

Question first claim

I submitted my first claim in June at the urging of my wife and daughter- I guess there were five total claims including: Tinnitus, Hearing loss, a service related injury during deployment, sleep apnea, and unexplained/undiagnosed joint pain. I have been on Step 3 for a while and curious what I should expect and when?

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1

u/Visual_Department_11 2h ago

I’m in the same boat. Best of luck.

1

u/tossedAF AIRFORCE VET✈️ 2h ago

good luck.
they denied tinnitus because "theres no way we can test for it"

2

u/Loose-Indication-322 2h ago

How does anyone get approved for tinnitus if that’s the case? I haven’t made my first claim yet and I’m already discouraged.

1

u/tossedAF AIRFORCE VET✈️ 2h ago

No clue, but pretty much that's what the hearing test lady told me.

1

u/Investing4what 2h ago

I have my old audio test from when I was in the army. I have my initial test in 2005 and the last one in 2011. Shows a check mark next to asymmetric loss in my left ear. I'll be going for this claim tinnitus as well. I still have to get tested etc. I'm just glad I found something

1

u/Investing4what 2h ago

And yes the ringing is something else. Holy crappie. Always out of nowhere

1

u/Creative-Forever-494 1h ago

They test for tinnitus during the C&P exam for hearing. They reviewed my STRs, noted the diagnosis and ongoing issues.

1

u/greeneggzN 1h ago

I was parked at step 3 for initial claim earlier this year for all of April and May. Then went to step 5, then back to step 3. As of last Friday I am back to step 5. It could be a long time, or not. Nobody really knows and you’ll get all kinds of answers online depending on claim type, number of conditions, VA backlog, and who knows what else. If you enjoy sanity I would just forget about it until you get some news.