Question:

Hello Jim, not really a question, just a comment. I was reading your answer to a veteran who asked you the odds of getting "anxiety, stress, etc" approved as secondary to s/c tinnitus. You answer seemed to indicate that it would be a "stretch" to get such a claim approved. With all due respect, "anxiety, stress, depression and social isolation can be approved as secondary to s/c tinnitus." The main things needed are (1) diagnosis of tinnitus, (2) a strong paper trail showing counseling sessions with mental health professionals regarding how annoying and depressing the tinnitus is to the veteran. In New Jersey,  we are seeing veteran get anywhere from 30% to 70% for "anxiety, stress, depression as service connected and secondary to service connected recurrent tinnitus." The most important item is evidence of counseling sessions indicating that the anxiety is caused by the tinnitus. If you need more information, let me know. Keep up the good work.

Jim's Reply:

I hear you...but I stand by my answer.

The 2 things you say are necessary to prevail in a claim of psych issues secondary to tinnitus aren't a part of most veterans' files. The diagnosis of tinnitus is easy enough to make but I don't know many veterans who could meet your standard of, "a strong paper trail showing counseling sessions with mental health professionals regarding how annoying and depressing the tinnitus is to the veteran." I also believe that to isolate tinnitus without including the well documented anxiety and depression of hearing loss that often accompanies tinnitus would be a mistake.

While I agree that a rated mental health diagnosis is possible as a secondary condition to tinnitus, it isn't the cakewalk you imply. When I think a veteran who has come to me for advice may have a well grounded claim for such issues as tinnitus and hearing loss, I refer them to a clinical psychologist for an IMO to obtain a professional opinion that will support their claim or appeal. 

Without such evidence as, "a strong paper trail" of psych diagnosis, which not one veteran has come to me with, these claims will be denied...getting these awards is still a stretch.