Tinnitus — VA Disability Rating & Claim Guide
This is not legal or medical advice. Always consult with a VSO or accredited claims agent.
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The DBQ for Tinnitus
Your C&P examiner fills out DBQ 21-0960N-5 (Hearing Loss and Tinnitus) — the form that decides your rating. You can have your own doctor complete the same DBQ and submit it as evidence.
What the examiner measures
- Whether recurrent tinnitus is present — a single 10% evaluation is the maximum schedular rating under DC 6260
- Whether tinnitus is perceived in one ear, both ears, or in the head (does not change the 10% ceiling)
- Date of onset and reported etiology (e.g., noise/acoustic-trauma exposure)
Have a C&P exam coming up? See exactly what the examiner will ask about Tinnitus — and how to describe it.
Prep →2026 Compensation Rates
Monthly compensation for Tinnitus, based on your overall combined VA disability rating.
| Rating | Monthly (Alone) | Monthly (w/ Spouse) | Annual |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10% | $180.42 | — | $2,165.04 |
| 20% | $356.66 | — | $4,279.92 |
| 30% | $552.47 | $617.47 | $6,629.64 |
| 40% | $795.84 | $882.84 | $9,550.08 |
| 50% | $1,132.90 | $1,241.90 | $13,594.80 |
| 60% | $1,435.02 | $1,566.02 | $17,220.24 |
| 70% | $1,808.45 | $1,961.45 | $21,701.40 |
| 80% | $2,102.15 | $2,277.15 | $25,225.80 |
| 90% | $2,362.30 | $2,559.30 | $28,347.60 |
| 100% | $3,938.58 | $4,158.17 | $47,262.96 |
Common Symptoms
Document these symptoms in your claim. The more thoroughly you describe how they affect your daily life, the stronger your claim.
Functional Limitations
VA rates disabilities based on how they limit your ability to function. Describe these limitations in your personal statement.
Rating Criteria for Tinnitus
Rating schedule under 38 CFR 4.87, DC 6260 (recurrent tinnitus). Criteria are simplified summaries; your specific rating depends on severity documented in your C&P exam.
Recurrent tinnitus. A single 10-percent evaluation is the maximum schedular rating, assigned whether the sound is perceived in one ear, both ears, or in the head.
Verified against 38 CFR Part 4, the official VA rating schedule. Reviewed July 2026.
Peer-Reviewed Medical Evidence
Real, verified studies from PubMed/NIH that support a Tinnitus claim. Bring these citations to your accredited VSO or C&P exam — they help show your condition is recognized in the medical literature and, where noted, linked to other service-connected conditions.
Hearing Research, 2013 · PMID 22575206
Finding: This Office of Naval Research review reports that military personnel work in high-noise environments and that, of those exposed to noise, up to 80% may also suffer from chronic tinnitus. It notes VA disability payments for tinnitus and hearing loss exceeded $1.2 billion for 2009 and continue to rise.
Why it helps: Supports an association between military noise exposure and tinnitus by documenting the high-noise occupational environment service members operate in and the very high co-occurrence of tinnitus among noise-exposed personnel.
Military Medicine, 2019 · PMID 30901434
Finding: In the VA/DoD Noise Outcomes in Servicemembers Epidemiology (NOISE) Study of 428 participants (246 Veterans, 182 active Service members), the presence of tinnitus was associated with effects on job performance, concentration, anxiety, depression, and sleep, with comparable impact on active-duty members and recently separated Veterans.
Why it helps: Supports that tinnitus is a recognized, functionally impairing condition tracked in active military and recently separated veteran populations, helping establish its presence and severity during and shortly after service.
Military Medicine, 2019 · PMID 30793178
Finding: In 2,600 US Marines assessed before and after a combat deployment, likelihood of tinnitus progression increased with TBI (OR 1.59, 95% CI 1.13-2.23), particularly blast TBI (OR 2.01, 95% CI 1.27-3.12), and with high-frequency hearing loss (OR 3.01) and combined low/high-frequency loss (OR 5.73). The paper also notes mild TBI is associated with up to a 75.7% incidence of tinnitus.
Why it helps: Supports an association between combat deployment exposures (blast/TBI and noise-related hearing loss) and new onset or worsening of tinnitus in service members, using a longitudinal pre/post-deployment design.
Ear and Hearing, 2022 · nexus to hearing loss, traumatic brain injury (TBI) · PMID 35612496
Finding: Among 758,005 Million Veteran Program participants, tinnitus prevalence was 37.5%, and veterans with hearing loss were 4.15 times as likely to have tinnitus. A multivariate model showed higher relative risk for TBI (RR 1.73) and daily combat noise exposure (RR 1.17) than for age (RR ~0.998), and authors concluded tinnitus in the military is more closely related to environmental exposures than to aging.
Why it helps: Supports a strong association between hearing loss and tinnitus and indicates military noise/TBI exposures, rather than aging, drive tinnitus risk in veterans, which is useful for a secondary-to-hearing-loss nexus argument.
International Journal of Audiology, 2023 · nexus to hearing loss · PMID 35819808
Finding: Across 283 Service members and 390 Veterans, after controlling for confounders (including age, blast-wave exposure, and military TBI), the presence of tinnitus, tinnitus severity, average low-frequency hearing thresholds, and subjective hearing difficulties were each significantly associated with poorer functional status.
Why it helps: Supports the close link between tinnitus and hearing loss in a military/veteran sample and shows both contribute to reduced functioning, helping characterize tinnitus as commonly co-occurring with hearing loss.
Journal of the Association for Research in Otolaryngology (JARO), 2023 · nexus to hearing loss · PMID 36380120
Finding: This systematic review and meta-analysis of case-control and cohort studies found positive causal associations for hearing-related factors including unspecified hearing loss, sensorineural hearing loss, and occupational noise exposure (along with otitis media and ototoxic platinum therapy). Hearing loss was the most robustly supported risk factor.
Why it helps: Provides higher-tier (systematic review/meta-analysis) evidence supporting associations between occupational noise exposure, hearing loss, and tinnitus, strengthening both the direct noise-trauma and secondary-to-hearing-loss angles.
Ear and Hearing, 2018 · PMID 29337762
Finding: In 31 young military Veterans and 43 non-Veterans (ages 19-35) with normal pure-tone thresholds, the probability of reporting tinnitus increased by a factor of 2.0 per 0.1 microvolt decrease in ABR wave I amplitude for males (and 2.2 for females), consistent with noise-related cochlear synaptopathy as a basis for tinnitus even when standard hearing tests are normal.
Why it helps: Supports a physiological link between a history of noise exposure and tinnitus in young veterans, helping explain tinnitus claims even where audiograms appear normal.
CoDAS, 2013 · nexus to hearing loss · PMID 24408248
Finding: In a cross-sectional study of 498 adults over age 60, tinnitus prevalence was 42.77%, and there was a significant association between tinnitus and hearing loss, including a relationship between the side affected by tinnitus and the side of hearing loss.
Why it helps: Supports a general (non-military) association between tinnitus and hearing loss, including side-matched correlation, reinforcing the comorbid relationship relevant to a secondary-to-hearing-loss nexus.
- Chronic Tinnitus.Secondary
Deutsches Arzteblatt International, 2022 · nexus to hearing loss · PMID 35197187
Finding: This clinical practice guideline review reports a lifetime prevalence of about 3.5% for chronic tinnitus requiring treatment (with nearly 25% of people experiencing at least one tinnitus episode), and states chronic tinnitus is often associated with hearing loss while mental distress is another crucial component.
Why it helps: Supports baseline prevalence figures and the established clinical link between chronic tinnitus and hearing loss, useful background for a secondary-to-hearing-loss claim.
Every citation is real and verified against PubMed. This is general information, not medical or legal advice — your accredited VSO or representative can advise on your specific claim.
Evidence Checklist
Gather these types of evidence before filing your claim. The strongest claims include multiple evidence types.
Common Treatments
Documenting ongoing treatment strengthens your claim and supports higher ratings.
Secondary Conditions Linked to Tinnitus
These conditions are commonly claimed as secondary to Tinnitus. A secondary condition can increase your overall combined rating and monthly compensation.
Hearing Loss
Nexus strength: strong· Commonly granted
Anxiety
Nexus strength: strong· Commonly granted
Depression
Nexus strength: moderate· Commonly granted
Insomnia
Nexus strength: strong· Commonly granted
Migraines
Nexus strength: moderate· Commonly granted
Meniere's Disease
Nexus strength: strong· Commonly granted
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Related Guides
- Tinnitus Secondary to PTSD: Complete Connection Guide for VA Claims
- VA Disability Rating for Tinnitus: Complete Guide to Getting Your Claim Approved
- Migraines Secondary to Tinnitus: Complete Nexus and Filing Strategy
- C&P Exam for Tinnitus and Hearing Loss: Complete Preparation Guide
- VA Rating for Tinnitus: Complete Disability Guide 2025
Tinnitus as a Secondary Condition
Tinnitus is commonly claimed secondary to these primary conditions:
Filing a Tinnitusclaim? Don't skip these.
Most veterans filing for Tinnitus should also be looking at:
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Secondary Condition Claim Guides
Detailed guides on claiming each secondary condition linked to Tinnitus.
Tinnitus Claim Guide by State
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Educational content, not professional advice
This article is published by Military Transition Toolkit for educational and planning purposes. It is not legal, medical, or financial advice. VA rating criteria, benefits, and regulations change — verify anything benefits-affecting against VA.gov, 38 CFR Part 4, or a VA-accredited representative (VSO, agent, or attorney) before filing.
MTT is a veteran-owned planning tool and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Department of Defense, or any military branch.