Can Veterans With Hearing Loss Or Deafness Get Disability Benefits?

War is many things – but many soldiers and military personnel don’t stop to think that war is oftentimes extremely loud, no matter what your station. Think of gunfire, explosions, artillery, and other weaponry noises. Then think about plane engines, helicopter noise, and the noises of a battleship. It comes as no surprise than many men and women return from the military with damaged hearing, partial hearing loss, and even full-blown deafness.

While hearing loss many not seem as horrific as battle wounds, amputations, post-traumatic stress, or traumatic brain injuries, hearing disabilities can change a person’s life forever. Losing all or part of your hearing can make it difficult to have a career, impossible to communicate with family and loved ones, and onerous to complete even the simplest everyday tasks.

Now more than ever, Veterans’ Affairs are seeing the number of veterans with hearing issues and hearing damage grow. On one hand, young men and women who are returning from Iraq and Afghanistan are suffering from military-related hearing loss, while on the other hand, aging soldiers who fought in Vietnam or the first Gulf War are also discovering their hearing loss. Shockingly, a 2004 audiology study found that almost one in three people who come back from the war have damaged hearing. While the government has made improvements in noisy military environments and provided those who work in loud areas with ear protection, there is simply no good way to make a warship or aircraft significantly quieter.

Can you get veterans disability benefits if your hearing loss or deafness was a direct cause of your service in the military? Absolutely. According to the Army's Center for Health Promotion and Preventive Medicine, over 400,000 veterans collect benefits because of hearing loss and hearing damage. Do you wish to apply for veterans’ disability benefits for your own hearing damage or inner-ear issues? Speak with a veterans’ disability benefits attorney today.




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