Tinnitus is a persistent buzzing, ringing, or humming sound in the ears, often caused by long-term exposure to loud noises. Military-related causes can include armored service, proximity to explosions, or closed-head trauma, and it can affect your hearing and your ability to concentrate.
In 2025, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) proposed changes to how tinnitus is rated and connected to other hearing loss for disability compensation. Although these changes have not yet been implemented, they could have serious effects on Veterans’ disability payments.
At present, tinnitus is a standalone disability, meaning if you have service-related tinnitus in either or both ears, you can receive a 10% VA disability rating without any other underlying condition. As long as your tinnitus is related to your time in service, you may file a disability claim for the tinnitus alone.
This has allowed many Veterans to receive compensation for a condition that may not be visible but still severely affects daily life. In fact, tinnitus is one of the most common disability claims filed by Veterans today.
These changes have not gone into effect, and may not be implemented or may change before they are enacted. However, Veterans should be aware of the potential changes.
A 10% VA disability rating will only be awarded for tinnitus linked to non-compensable service-related hearing loss. In other words, if your hearing loss is too minor to get compensation, but you also have tinnitus, you can receive disability payments for the tinnitus. Hearing loss over 10% will not receive any additional compensation for tinnitus. The total rating will be based on hearing loss alone.
Tinnitus associated with other service-related conditions (TBI, Meniere’s disease) will not receive a separate 10% rating.
Service-related tinnitus will not be recognized as a separate condition. It must be related to another condition.
These proposed updates would redefine tinnitus as a secondary symptom—rather than a condition deserving its own rating. For many Veterans, this could lead to confusion and concern, especially if tinnitus is the only condition for which they are currently receiving disability compensation.
Because tinnitus is often a symptom that appears even when hearing tests show little or no measurable loss, proving its connection to another diagnosable service-related condition could become more difficult under these new rules.
If you already have a tinnitus disability rating, you will be grandfathered in under the new rating system. If you have a claim pending, it should be rated under the existing standards.
This makes the timing of your claim critically important. Veterans who wait too long to file may miss the opportunity to qualify under the more favorable current rating criteria.
To strengthen your claim, be sure to submit thorough documentation—including Lay Statements and medical evidence that links your tinnitus to a service-related incident or condition. Establishing a clear “nexus” between your tinnitus and your time in the military is essential for your case.
If your tinnitus developed after a blast exposure, head injury, or sustained noise during deployment, that connection can be used as the basis of your disability claim, even if your hearing loss is minimal.
Even if your claim is still pending when new regulations take effect, your benefits could be impacted if the VA reviews your case under the updated system. That is why it is important to act now.
If you are a Veteran dealing with tinnitus, do not let the VA’s proposed changes delay your claim. Our team is here to help you gather the documentation you need, file your claim accurately, and secure the benefits your service has earned.
Contact us now for a free consultation before the potential rule change.
