Secondary service connection
Conditions secondary to tinnitus
Veterans with service-connected tinnitus often claim other conditions as caused or worsened by it. This page lists those conditions, what VA needs to grant them, and how they fared when veterans appealed to the Board of Veterans' Appeals.
What VA needs to grant a secondary claim
Secondary service connection means VA disability benefits for a condition caused or made worse by a disability that is already service connected (38 CFR 3.310). The claim needs three things:
- A current diagnosis of the secondary condition.
- Tinnitus is already service connected.
- Medical evidence linking them (a nexus opinion): the secondary condition was caused by tinnitus (3.310(a)), or was made worse beyond its natural progress by it (aggravation, 3.310(b)).
VA's procedures for these claims are in M21-1 V.ii.2.D. When the evidence for and against is about even, VA must decide in the veteran's favor (38 CFR 3.102).
Conditions claimed secondary to tinnitus
Conditions the Board decided at least 300 times as secondary to this disability, highest appeal grant rate first. Open one for the evidence and reasons behind the decisions.
- Major depressive disorder secondary to tinnitus384 decisions · 43.0% granted
- Migraine secondary to tinnitus1,013 decisions · 31.9% granted
- Sleep apnea secondary to tinnitus632 decisions · 20.7% granted
- Hearing loss secondary to tinnitus396 decisions · 13.6% granted
- Peripheral vestibular disorders secondary to tinnitus579 decisions · 12.6% granted
Tinnitus claimed secondary to other conditions
The other direction: tinnitus claimed as caused or worsened by a different service-connected disability.
How VA rates tinnitus
Once service connection is granted, VA assigns a disability rating from the rating schedule: 38 CFR 4.87, diagnostic code 6260 (Tinnitus, recurrent). The rating is the same whether the condition is service connected directly or as secondary to another disability.
| Rating | Criteria |
|---|---|
| 10% | Tinnitus, recurrent |
- Note (1): A separate evaluation for tinnitus may be combined with an evaluation under diagnostic codes 6100, 6200, 6204, or other diagnostic code, except when tinnitus supports an evaluation under one of those diagnostic codes.
- Note (2): Assign only a single evaluation for recurrent tinnitus, whether the sound is perceived in one ear, both ears, or in the head.
- Note (3): Do not evaluate objective tinnitus (in which the sound is audible to other people and has a definable cause that may or may not be pathologic) under this diagnostic code, but evaluate it as part of any underlying condition causing it.
Text of 38 CFR 4.87 as of Feb 27, 2026. Confirm the current text at the source before relying on it.
All Board decisions on tinnitus, direct and secondary: Tinnitus grant rates.
Rules that apply to secondary claims
- 38 CFR 3.310
Secondary service connection and aggravation
Read it in VA Law Explorer - M21-1 V.ii.2.D
Secondary service connection and aggravation of non-service-connected disabilities
Read it in VA Law Explorer - 38 CFR 3.102
Reasonable doubt (benefit of the doubt)
Read it in VA Law Explorer - 38 CFR 4.87 · DC 6260
Schedule of ratings: ear
Read it in VA Law Explorer - M21-1 V.iii.2.B.1
Service connection for hearing loss and tinnitus, incl. Guard and Reserve duty
Read it in VA Law Explorer - M21-1 V.iii.2.B.3
Tinnitus: sympathetic reading, medical opinions, liberalizing provisions
Read it in VA Law Explorer
Research your secondary case
Narrow by year, judge, evidence or secondary condition, read the decisions, and export a research memo.