Upcoming VA Changes: Elimination of Standalone Tinnitus Ratings
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is proposing significant changes to its rating schedule for auditory conditions — and a major shift is the elimination of tinnitus as a standalone, ratable condition. Here’s a detailed breakdown of what this means for veterans, what the VA is saying, and what you should prepare for.
The VA’s Official Spin
According to the VA, tinnitus will no longer be rated as a separate condition. Instead, it will be treated as a symptom of another diagnosable auditory disease or injury. On the surface, this might sound positive — especially if tinnitus can be tied to a more serious condition that carries a higher disability rating. However, there are serious concerns about how this will play out in practice.
For example, if tinnitus is associated with a condition like Meniere’s disease, your rating will likely reflect the severity of that primary condition, whether or not tinnitus is present. The presence of tinnitus alone won’t increase your rating beyond what would be assigned for the primary condition.
Why This Could Hurt Veterans
There are several potential downsides to this change:
- Harder to Prove: Veterans will now need to prove service connection for a larger disease or injury, rather than simply tinnitus, which has traditionally been the most commonly service-connected disability.
- Increased Burden: Connecting tinnitus to another auditory condition could give the VA more opportunities to deny claims.
- Lost Ratings: Many veterans currently receive a 10% rating for tinnitus. Eliminating tinnitus as a standalone condition removes that guaranteed compensation for those whose only issue is ringing in the ears.
Current Timeline
As of late April 2025, this change has not yet taken effect. The VA has delayed the implementation of the new rating schedule twice, and it is now expected to go into effect in August 2025. However, further delays are possible.
Who Should File Now?
If you suffer from tinnitus and have not yet filed a claim — and you are not already rated at 100% Permanent and Total (P&T) — you should strongly consider filing immediately. This advice also applies to active duty members approaching separation: file as soon as possible before the changes take place.
Why The Elimination Seems Unfair
Many military occupations involve prolonged exposure to high levels of noise — including infantry roles, mechanics, aircraft maintenance crews, and artillery operators. Even if you weren’t in a high-noise MOS, general exposure during training and deployments still poses a significant risk for developing tinnitus. Scientific studies and VA documentation recognize noise exposure as a well-known cause of tinnitus. Eliminating it as a standalone condition seems inconsistent with these established facts.
Future Workaround: Minimal Hearing Loss
There may be one limited path for some veterans after the change goes into effect: if you are diagnosed with minimal, but ratable, hearing loss (even at 0%), and you have tinnitus, you may still receive a 10% rating for tinnitus attached to the hearing loss diagnosis. However, this will only apply under very narrow conditions.
Conclusion
The proposed change to the VA’s rating schedule for auditory conditions — specifically the removal of tinnitus as a standalone condition — could have wide-reaching effects. Veterans are encouraged to act quickly, file claims where appropriate, and stay informed about any updates to the proposed timeline.
For more information, you can review the official Federal Register notice on VA proposed auditory rating changes.
Disclaimer: The information presented in this article is based on publicly available VA resources and the opinion and interpretation of the author. It is intended for general informational purposes only and should not be construed as legal advice or a guarantee of VA claim outcomes. Veterans are encouraged to consult with a qualified Veterans Service Officer (VSO) or attorney for personalized assistance regarding their specific cases.
