I see a LOT of posts with incorrect information about audiology testing. To be clear, I am an audiologist. I do C&P claims for hearing loss and tinnitus. Tinnitus is NOT automatically granted to anyone, regardless of your MOS/NEC/AFSC/etc.

First and foremost, you MUST actually describe clinical tinnitus at your exam. They want to know how frequently you hear these phantom noises, and how long each episode lasts. If your description of symptoms does not meet the clinical definition of tinnitus, you claim can/should be denied.

Your tinnitus needed to start during, or shortly after separation. If you describe clinical tinnitus and you filed your claim within a year, you should be approved. I am 1/2 thinking about starting a business helping fellow veterans file appeals. But I already work full time, and don't want to take money for doing something that should be free. I see SO many brothers wrongly denied. Please appeal if this is your situation!

Things get tricky when you wait past the 'reasonable' amount of time to file your claim. If you waited too long I need to find something in your history to write a favorable opinion.

Were you in combat? Let me re-phrase, does your DD214 or VADIR show you were in combat? A service or expeditionary award is not going to cut it. However, if you were in the shit - even dating back to world war II - and you tell the examiner that is when your tinnitus began, they should give you a favorable opinion.

So you weren't in combat. Did your hearing shift (get worse) by 15dB or more while you were on active duty? Sounds like a legitimate claim to me. What's that you say? Your file has no entry and or exit audio? There is no way to document your hearing did not shift - so benefit goes to the veteran.

Things get really uncomfortable on the examiners end when you describe tinnitus that began on active duty, you have your CAB/CAR, but then decide to exaggerate a hearing loss in the booth. YES, it is very easy to fake a hearing loss, but it is even easier for the examiner to document that you fudged it. Google stenger effect. For the love of God and country; do not shoot yourself in the foot. Your tinnitus can/should be denied, because now it looks like you're trying to scam money.

Let's say you really have tinnitus, but you didn't file for 20 years, you were not in combat, and your hearing stayed stable during your active duty service. I wish I could help. I want to help. But our hands are really tied. Especially if your exit exam showed normal hearing and now - even if you're not claiming service connection - you have a hearing loss. Your current claim of tinnitus will be more likely from your current hearing loss than active duty. I'm really sorry, but that's the way ears work.

It is the examiners responsibility to find the audiograms from your service treatment records, and reports of ringing/buzzing/humming from your periodic health assessments, post deployment health assessments, etc. I STRONGLY advise you not to pay a group of nurses out of Florida to write you a nexus letter. Their documentation does nothing to prove your tinnitus is service connected, and the articles they mention are not helping your case. If your tinnitus was denied, look closely at the reasoning behind the denial. Did the examiner fail to take your job or deployments or entry/exit exams into consideration. Appeal that shit!

Hopefully this answers any burning questions you may have about why your claim was denied, or how to report things so your claim is approved.