Depression Secondary to Tinnitus: DVA Claims Explained

Yes, you can claim depression secondary to tinnitus with DVA. The Statement of Principles for depressive disorder contains a specific factor for severe and permanent tinnitus, creating a direct legal link between one of DVA's most accepted conditions and one of the most under-claimed.

This article explains exactly how the claim works, what the factor requires, where veterans commonly go wrong, and what the difference is between the reasonable hypothesis and balance of probabilities versions of the SoP.

The SoP factor that makes this claim possible

The Depressive Disorder SoP No. 11 of 2024 (Reasonable Hypothesis version) contains factor 9(15):

“Having severe and permanent tinnitus at the time of clinical onset of depressive disorder.”

If your tinnitus is accepted by DVA, and you have a diagnosis of depressive disorder, and your tinnitus was present when your depression first developed, this factor is potentially satisfied.

The SoP defines “severe and permanent tinnitus” as tinnitus that requires the use of a tinnitus masking device, or causes loss of concentration. The tinnitus must also be permanent, meaning it has persisted continuously or with intermittent recurrence without an external stimulus for at least three consecutive months. Most veterans with DVA-accepted tinnitus will have tinnitus that meets this definition.

The standard of proof and why it matters

This is where the claim gets more complicated, and where most online content fails veterans by missing a critical distinction.

A veteran whose only service was peacetime cannot use the direct tinnitus factor. They need a different pathway.

If you're on peacetime service: the alternative pathways

• Route 1: Severe chronic medical condition. SoP No. 12 factor 9(11) requires having a severe, chronic medical condition for a continuous period of at least five years before clinical onset. If your tinnitus has been severe, accepted, and present for five or more years before your depression developed, this factor may apply.
• Route 2: Chain through anxiety. The Anxiety Disorder SoP No. 101 of 2023 (BoP version) contains a pathway for tinnitus through its chronic medical condition factor. If tinnitus can be linked to an accepted anxiety disorder, and the depression is then claimed secondary to the anxiety disorder, the chain from tinnitus to depression is established through an intermediate condition.

What clinical evidence you need

How depression is assessed under GARP M

Once liability is accepted, depression is assessed under GARP M Chapter 5 (Psychiatric Impairment), the same table used for PTSD. The assessment looks at how the depression affects six functional areas: self-care, social and recreational activities, travel, social functioning, concentration and task completion, and employability.

The possible impairment ratings are 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, and 60 points. Even a mild-to-moderate depression rating of 20 points adds substantially to a combined impairment score, potentially pushing a veteran across the 60-point Gold Card threshold or the 50-point SRDP threshold.

Where veterans lose the claim

• Not getting a psychiatric diagnosis. The claim cannot proceed without a formal psychiatric or clinical psychology diagnosis. DVA will not accept a GP’s description of depressive symptoms for the liability stage.
• Failing to address the severity of the tinnitus. DVA needs confirmation that the tinnitus is severe and permanent, not just that it’s accepted. An existing DVA acceptance letter proves the tinnitus exists and is service-related, but it doesn’t necessarily confirm severity to the standard required by the depressive disorder SoP factor.
• Assuming peacetime service is covered by the RH factor. The direct tinnitus factor (9(15)) is in the RH SoP only. Applying the wrong SoP standard to your service type leads to a rejection that could have been avoided.
• Not documenting the onset timeline. If the depression developed before the tinnitus, or if the medical records suggest onset predating the tinnitus, the factor is not satisfied. The tinnitus must have been present at the time of clinical onset of the depression.
• Claiming depression and tinnitus without linking them. If the link between tinnitus and depression is not explicitly stated in the claim documentation and medical reports, the delegate may not make the connection.

The tinnitus cascade: claiming multiple secondary conditions together

Tinnitus can connect to more than one secondary mental health condition. If your tinnitus is accepted and you have depression, anxiety, and insomnia, all three may be claimable as secondary to tinnitus through separate SoP factors:

Each of these conditions has its own GARP M assessment and contributes impairment points to your combined score.

Frequently asked questions

My tinnitus was accepted years ago. Can I still claim depression now?

Yes. There is no time limit on lodging a secondary claim after the primary condition was accepted. What matters is that the tinnitus was present at the time your depression developed clinically, not when your tinnitus was accepted by DVA.

Do I need to prove that tinnitus was the only cause of my depression?

No. DVA does not require sole causation. The SoP factor requires that severe and permanent tinnitus was present at the time of clinical onset. Depression commonly has multiple contributing causes and that doesn’t prevent the claim.

My service was peacetime. Does this claim still work for me?

Not through the direct tinnitus factor, which is in the RH SoP only. But alternative pathways exist through the chronic medical condition factor in the BoP SoP, or through an intermediate anxiety condition.

Can I claim depression secondary to tinnitus if I also have PTSD?

Yes. PTSD and depression are distinct conditions with separate SoPs. If your psychiatrist diagnoses both as separate, co-existing conditions, each can be claimed and each contributes its own impairment points.

What if DVA rejects the secondary claim?

Review the rejection letter carefully. DVA is required to state which SoP factor was not satisfied and why. Common grounds are that the tinnitus was not documented as severe, or that the onset timeline was not established. Both are addressable through additional medical evidence or a VRB appeal.

How much compensation could a secondary depression claim add to my total?

It depends on severity. The exact dollar impact depends on your combined impairment score, lifestyle effects rating, service type, age, and dependants. The CPV PI calculator can give you an indicative range based on your current and projected impairment points.