Tinnitus

1. What This Condition Is

Tinnitus is a persistent ringing, buzzing, hissing, or clicking sound in one or both ears with no external source. It is one of the most prevalent service-connected disabilities in the VA system, affecting hundreds of thousands of veterans. Military service routinely exposes personnel to weapons fire, jet engines, explosions, and heavy machinery at levels that permanently damage the auditory system. The VA rates tinnitus because it disrupts sleep, degrades concentration, and affects communication in ways that compound over years.

2. VA Rating Criteria

Tinnitus is rated under 38 CFR Part 4, Diagnostic Code 6260.

There is only one rating level for tinnitus under DC 6260: 10%. The VA assigns a single 10% evaluation regardless of whether the ringing is in one ear, both ears, or perceived as being inside the head. There is no 20%, no 50%, no 0% under this code.

One important note: the VA has proposed regulatory changes that would eliminate DC 6260 as a standalone diagnostic code and fold tinnitus into the hearing loss rating under DC 6100. As of the date this page was written, that proposal has not been finalized. DC 6260 remains in effect. If you are filing now, file under DC 6260. Monitor VA rulemaking at federalregister.gov for updates.

Do not evaluate objective tinnitus, where the sound is audible to others and has a definable physiological cause, under DC 6260. That is rated under the underlying condition causing it.

3. What to Expect at Your C&P Exam

The C&P examiner will ask you to describe the sound: ringing, buzzing, hissing, or a combination. They will ask whether it is constant or intermittent, how long episodes last, and whether it is in one ear, both ears, or in the head. They will ask whether it disrupts sleep or concentration.

The examiner is not conducting audiometric testing at this appointment for tinnitus specifically. They are confirming current diagnosis and severity. The key is to describe your worst days, not your average days. If it keeps you awake three nights a week, say that. If it makes it impossible to follow conversations in noisy environments, say that. Accurate and specific symptom reporting is what drives the decision.

The examiner will also assess whether your tinnitus can be connected to in-service noise exposure. If you have documented military occupational specialty or duty assignments involving noise hazards, this helps.

4. Evidence You Need to Win

Diagnosis. You need a confirmed diagnosis of tinnitus from a physician or audiologist. An audiogram is not required to get a tinnitus rating, but it supports the claim and is often obtained anyway.

Nexus Letter. A nexus letter from an audiologist, ENT physician, or primary care provider connecting your tinnitus to in-service noise exposure. The letter must state "at least as likely as not" that your tinnitus was caused or aggravated by military service (38 CFR § 3.102). It must review your records, describe your current condition, and provide clear rationale (Barr v. Nicholson, 21 Vet. App. 303 (2007)).

Service Records. Documentation of noise hazard exposure: MOS/AFSC descriptions, deployment records, aircraft crew assignments, weapons qualifications. The VA should obtain these via the duty-to-assist (38 CFR § 3.159), but pull them yourself and submit them directly.

DBQ. The relevant VA examination form is the "Ear Conditions (including Vestibular and Infectious Conditions)" DBQ. If you obtain a private nexus opinion, ask your provider to complete this DBQ or write a letter addressing each of its elements.

Personal Statement. A signed statement (submit with VA Form 21-10210 or as a written statement with your 21-526EZ) describing how you experienced noise exposure in service and how tinnitus currently affects your daily life. Be specific: when it is worst, how it affects sleep, work, and concentration.

Buddy Statements. Fellow service members who served alongside you can submit statements (VA Form 21-10210) confirming shared noise exposure. This is particularly useful if your STRs contain no audiometric history.

5. Secondary Conditions to Consider

Hearing Loss (DC 6100). Tinnitus and sensorineural hearing loss share the same mechanism: noise-induced cochlear damage. File both simultaneously. A 0% or low hearing loss rating still locks in service connection, which matters when hearing deteriorates further.

Depression and Anxiety (DC 9434/9400). Chronic tinnitus is directly linked to depression, anxiety, and social withdrawal. Secondary service connection under 38 CFR § 3.310 is well-supported by medical literature. A treating mental health provider can write this nexus.

Insomnia and Sleep Disorders. The constant auditory intrusion of tinnitus disrupts sleep architecture. If you have documented sleep problems driven by tinnitus, file a secondary claim. Sleep apnea secondary to tinnitus is rated under DC 6847. Insomnia rated as a standalone mental health condition is rated under the General Rating Formula at 38 CFR 4.130, using DC 9422 (Insomnia Disorder). A sleep study or mental health provider's opinion can support the nexus.

Cognitive and Concentration Difficulties. While not a standalone diagnostic code in most cases, cognitive deficits secondary to chronic sleep deprivation from tinnitus can support a broader claim picture, particularly in combination with TBI.

Hyperacusis. Abnormal sensitivity to sound often co-occurs with tinnitus from noise trauma. It is evaluated under the ear conditions schedule and should be raised at your C&P exam.

6. Common Mistakes That Kill Claims

1. Describing only one ear when both are affected. The VA issues one 10% rating regardless of laterality, but your personal statement and C&P exam should accurately reflect bilateral symptoms. Understating the scope of your condition sets a bad precedent for future claims.

2. Treating the personal statement as optional. Tinnitus is entirely a self-reported condition. The examiner cannot measure it objectively. A vague or absent personal statement leaves everything on the table. Write out specifically how the ringing affects you: sleep interruptions, difficulty with phone calls, inability to concentrate, irritability. Name the situations where it is worst.

3. Failing to connect tinnitus to specific in-service events. "I was in the military" is not enough. Identify your MOS/AFSC, name weapons systems, aircraft, or equipment you operated, and describe the duration of exposure. Your nexus letter should address these specifics.

4. Not filing tinnitus as secondary when direct service connection is denied. If direct service connection is denied (which is uncommon given how straightforward the nexus is), do not stop there. If you have a service-connected condition that involves auditory damage, ototoxic medications, or TBI, file tinnitus as secondary under 38 CFR § 3.310.

5. Accepting a 0% rating without challenge. A 0% tinnitus rating means the examiner acknowledged the diagnosis but found it non-compensable. If you have recurrent tinnitus, that is a 10% condition under DC 6260. File a Supplemental Claim (VA Form 20-0995) with an opinion clarifying the recurrent nature of the condition.

7. FWD Assist Resources

The FWD Assist HQ Hearing Loss and Tinnitus guide covers the full claims process for these two conditions, including audiogram strategy, C&P exam prep, and secondary condition filing. If you also have hearing loss, read both the hearing loss and tinnitus sections before your appointment.

The FWD Assist C&P Exam guide covers what to say, what not to say, and how to prepare your symptom history for any condition-specific exam.

8. Get Help Without a Claim Shark

Free, accredited help is available through Veterans Service Organizations (VSOs) like the DAV, VFW, and American Legion, county veterans service officers, and VA-accredited agents and attorneys. Anyone charging upfront fees to help you file a VA claim violates 38 USC § 5905 and is committing a federal crime. VA-accredited attorneys and agents may only charge fees after an initial VA decision, and those fees are capped at 20% of past-due benefits. Find free accredited help at va.gov/ogc/accreditation.asp.