WingmanOpen the free toolsWingmanOpen the free toolsIf the VA already service-connected your hearing loss (also called hearing loss, sensorineural hearing loss, bilateral hearing loss, deafness), it can cause or worsen other conditions that are ratable on their own. These "secondary" claims are where many veterans leave money on the table. Below is what a service-connected hearing loss commonly leads to, why, and what evidence each one takes.
A secondary claim only works if the primary condition (hearing loss) is already service-connected, and you have a nexus — a doctor's opinion that it is "at least as likely as not" the cause. More on nexus letters →
Tinnitus and noise-induced hearing loss share the same cause (acoustic trauma) and very often travel together. If hearing loss is already service-connected, tinnitus is routinely granted.
What you'd need: A statement that you experience ringing/buzzing plus the audiology exam. Tinnitus is largely established by the veteran's own credible report; a nexus is usually straightforward.
Difficulty communicating, social isolation, and safety worries from hearing loss can lead to depression or anxiety, which the VA recognizes as a secondary condition.
What you'd need: A mental health diagnosis and a nexus opinion linking the mood disorder to the social/occupational impact of the hearing loss.