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Looking for information about hyperacusis VA disability? Look no further!
Hyperacusis makes you intolerant to sounds that may not affect the next person. However, it can take a significant toll on your quality of life.
But….can you even get hyperacusis VA disability? I’m answering that question, along with how to file a VA claim to get the benefits you deserve.
Summary of Key Points
- Hyperacusis is not a VA-ratable condition on its own.
- If your hyperacusis causes another VA-ratable condition, you could qualify for VA benefits on a secondary basis.
- Many veterans with hyperacusis also experience tinnitus.
Hyperacusis VA Disability – Explained!
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Hyperacusis in Veterans
While there are various causes of hyperacusis in veterans, certain contributing factors include:
- Sudden exposure to loud noises
- Long-term exposure to loud noises
- Head injuries
- Chronic fatigue syndrome
- Ear injuries
- Bell’s palsy
- Other loud noises common in military service.
Is Hyperacusis a VA Disability?
No, the VA doesn’t consider hyperacusis a VA disability. However, you may be eligible for a VA rating if you develop a condition linked to your hyperacusis.
According to a 2024 study, veterans diagnosed with the following conditions were between two and seven times more likely to have an International Classification of Disease code for hyperacusis:
While tinnitus doesn’t always piggyback hyperacusis, they frequently accompany one another, making certain situations unbearable.
How the VA Rates Hyperacusis
While we know the VA doesn’t assign a specific hyperacusis VA rating, you may still be entitled to benefits.
Since hyperacusis presents itself differently from one person to the next, the VA has difficulty determining hyperacusis VA disability.
However, let’s say your hyperacusis takes a toll on your mental health, and you develop PTSD. The VA could award you a VA rating for PTSD, which ranges from 0% to 100%.
Remember, you still must service-connect your condition to receive VA disability. There is no rope-jumping when it comes to filing a VA claim.
Let’s look at the VA rating charts for tinnitus and PTSD, two common conditions linked to hyperacusis.
Tinnitus VA Rating Chart
The VA rates tinnitus under 38 CFR § 4.87, Schedule of Ratings – Ear, Diagnostic Code 6260.
Note: VA Proposed Tinnitus Rating Changes (See also: VA Tinnitus Rating Increase: Are Changes Coming?)
| DC 6260, Tinnitus, recurrent | VA Rating |
| 10% | |
| 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. |
PTSD VA Rating Chart
The VA rates PTSD under § 4.130 Schedule of ratings—Mental disorders.
| DC 9411, Post-traumatic Stress Disorder | VA Rating |
| Total occupational and social impairment, due to such symptoms as: gross impairment in thought processes or communication; persistent delusions or hallucinations; grossly inappropriate behavior; persistent danger of hurting self or others; intermittent inability to perform activities of daily living (including maintenance of minimal personal hygiene); disorientation to time or place; memory loss for names of close relatives, own occupation, or own name. | 100% |
| Occupational and social impairment, with deficiencies in most areas, such as work, school, family relations, judgment, thinking, or mood, due to such symptoms as: suicidal ideation; obsessional rituals which interfere with routine activities; speech intermittently illogical, obscure, or irrelevant; near-continuous panic or depression affecting the ability to function independently, appropriately and effectively; impaired impulse control (such as unprovoked irritability with periods of violence); spatial disorientation; neglect of personal appearance and hygiene; difficulty in adapting to stressful circumstances (including work or a worklike setting); inability to establish and maintain effective relationships. | 70% |
| Occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity due to such symptoms as: flattened affect; circumstantial, circumlocutory, or stereotyped speech; panic attacks more than once a week; difficulty in understanding complex commands; impairment of short- and long-term memory (e.g., retention of only highly learned material, forgetting to complete tasks); impaired judgment; impaired abstract thinking; disturbances of motivation and mood; difficulty in establishing and maintaining effective work and social relationships. | 50% |
| Occupational and social impairment with occasional decrease in work efficiency and intermittent periods of inability to perform occupational tasks (although generally functioning satisfactorily, with routine behavior, self-care, and conversation normal), due to such symptoms as: depressed mood, PTSD, suspiciousness, panic attacks (weekly or less often), chronic sleep impairment, mild memory loss (such as forgetting names, directions, recent events). | 30% |
| Occupational and social impairment due to mild or transient symptoms which decrease work efficiency and ability to perform occupational tasks only during periods of significant stress, or symptoms controlled by continuous medication. | 10% |
| A mental condition has been formally diagnosed, but symptoms are not severe enough either to interfere with occupational and social functioning or to require continuous medication. | 0% |
How to File a VA Claim for Hyperacusis
You must complete and submit VA Form 21-526EZ to file a VA claim. You can use one of the following ways to submit your VA claim.
| Online | Click Here to File a VA Claim Online |
| Mail to: | Department of Veterans Affairs Claims Intake Center PO Box 4444 Janesville, WI 53547-4444 |
| Fax to: | 844-531-7818 (U.S.) 248-524-4260 (Outside the U.S) |
| In Person at a local VA regional office | Find the Nearest Location to You |
Service-Connecting Hyperacusis
To service-connect a medical condition to receive VA disability, you must provide the following:
- A current medical diagnosis
- Evidence of an in-service event, injury, disease, or aggravation.
- A “nexus” (or link) between #1 and #2 via competent medical evidence.
The Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) will also consider secondary service connection if your service-connected disability causes or aggravates an existing condition.
For VBA to approve service connection on a secondary basis, you must provide evidence of:
- A service-connected disability;
- An additional diagnosis of a non-service-connected disability; and
- A medical nexus linking the two conditions.
Hyperacusis VA Disability Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Is there a VA rating for hyperacusis?
No, there is no VA rating for hyperacusis. Instead, the VA will assign a rating if your symptoms present a separate condition.
How is hyperacusis rated?
Since there is no VA disability rating for hyperacusis, you may be eligible for benefits if you qualify for another condition. For example, hyperacusis is considered comparable to tinnitus, and therefore you may qualify for a tinnitus VA rating.
What’s the highest VA rating for tinnitus?
The highest VA rating for tinnitus is 10%, regardless of whether you have the condition in one or both ears.
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Kelly Olone
Kelly Olone is a military spouse who earned her degree in Psychology from Florida International University. After working in the non-profit sector for several years, she turned to her passion for writing. She aims to contribute to a better understanding of the valuable benefits that veterans deserve. As a mom, Kelly navigates the delicate balance between deadlines and bedtime stories with finesse.
Content Reviewed by: Quality Assurance (QA) Team
The Quality Assurance (QA) team has over 36 years of combined experience in meticulously researching accuracy and fact-finding information. The Quality Assurance team’s expertise includes specialized experience in the VA Claims Adjudication processes, applicable VA laws, and regulations. Reviews were structured around considerations of the intended audience and examined the content’s relevance, accuracy, structure, and clarity. Changes suggested by the QA team were incorporated by content writers and creators.
