Can You Get Disability for Hearing Loss and Tinnitus?
December 8, 2025 |
When hearing changes start interfering with your day-to-day life, it can be hard to know what to do next. Many people wonder about this important question: ‘Can you get disability for hearing loss and tinnitus when symptoms make it hard to work, communicate, or safely function in certain environments?”
The short answer is yes, you can qualify, but a case like this relies heavily on medical evidence and on the exact impact your symptoms have on your ability to work.
How Hearing Loss and Tinnitus Qualify
The Social Security Administration reviews both conditions closely because neither one looks the same from person to person. Some people struggle in one or both ears, others deal with intense, constant ringing, and some experience sudden changes linked to loud noises, infections, or long-term exposure during military service.
A Closer Look at the Symptoms
To qualify, you need medical support showing documented issues such as:
- Profound hearing loss
- Subjective tinnitus or objective tinnitus
- Reduced hearing ability or significant hearing impairment
- Tinnitus symptoms that affect concentration or daily functioning
- Related physical symptoms, such as imbalance or extreme fatigue
- Cognitive symptoms, cognitive impairments, or cognitive difficulties caused by the distraction of ringing
- Balance disorders linked to an affected inner ear, middle ear, or outer ear
These symptoms can come from noise-induced hearing loss, middle ear abnormalities, ear infection, sensorineural hearing loss, or conditions such as Meniere’s disease.
How the SSA Reviews Medical Evidence
The Social Security Administration looks for detailed documentation when evaluating a disability claim based on hearing issues. Your medical records, your medical history, and the results of formal hearing testing all build the foundation of your case.
The Hearing Tests That Matter
Under SSA rules, qualifying tests need to be completed by a licensed physician, a licensed audiologist, or someone working under direct supervision. Common tests may include:
- Pure tone air conduction
- Bone conduction testing
- Average hearing threshold sensitivity
- Word recognition testing with a word recognition score
- Testing in a sound treated booth
- Evaluation of labyrinthine vestibular function
- Assessment of better ear vs. just one ear
In some cases, the SSA also wants confirmation that the person conducting the test followed proper protocols and kept external noise controlled.
What Happens If You Have a Cochlear Implant
Some individuals use a cochlear implant to support their hearing. The device and the results from cochlear implantation surgery can become part of your evidence. If an implant does not restore enough function, the SSA may still find you disabled.
How Hearing Issues Affect Daily Life and Work Ability
There is more to these conditions than simply hearing less. Many people struggle with a ringing sound that makes it hard to focus. Others have trouble processing speech, especially in background noise.
The SSA looks carefully at how symptoms influence your daily life, your individual’s ability to follow instructions, and any related medical condition that complicates matters. Hearing conditions can also affect spoken language, work safety, communication, and your ability to participate in social interactions.
In severe cases, the limitations reach a point where the agency may find the condition to be a disabling condition.
How Disability Programs Evaluate the Condition
There are two Social Security Disability benefits programs that may apply.
Social Security Disability Insurance
If you qualify for Social Security Disability Insurance, your work history and income history play a major role. The SSA reviews whether your limitations prevent you from performing past work or new work under substantial gainful activity rules.
Supplemental Security Income
For individuals with low financial resources, Supplemental Security Income may also apply. This benefit focuses more on financial assistance and basic eligibility.
In either program, the SSA reviews your eligibility criteria, your residual functional capacity, and whether you need assistive devices, such as hearing aids, to manage symptoms.
How the Blue Book Relates to Hearing Cases
SSA uses the blue book to evaluate severe medical conditions. Hearing issues appear in listings involving hearing impairment, structural issues of the ear, and related disorders. If your results match a listing exactly, you may automatically qualify. If not, you can still qualify by showing that your symptoms limit your ability to work.
How Long the Condition Must Last
The SSA needs proof that your disability will continue for at least a year, or that it has already lasted that long. Conditions linked to permanent damage or long-term exposure can often meet this duration requirement.
Each Case is Unique
You may still be wondering, what if your symptoms come and go or only affect one part of your ear canal? The SSA evaluates each case individually. Severe limitations, severe cases, or symptoms linked to one or both ears can support your claim if they significantly interfere with work.
What to Expect During the Claims Process
There are several steps in the journey to receiving support.
Filing the Application
You submit your paperwork through the application process, which the SSA also calls the claims process. This includes your test results, employment details, and the full picture of how symptoms affect your job duties.
SSA Review
The agency reviews your evidence. They may schedule a medical appointment, ask for additional information, or verify your test results.
If Your Claim Is Denied
Many people need the appeals process to get approved. Others seek a second opinion or request clarification from a specialist.
How a Disability Lawyer Can Help
A knowledgeable disability lawyer can help organize your case, gather medical documentation, and ensure your forms are complete. A lawyer can also assist if you face issues with a disability check, confusion about eligibility criteria, or questions about long-term support, such as long-term disability benefits.
The Role of Work and Treatment Evidence
If your condition is linked to clear underlying causes, such as infection or trauma, documentation becomes even more important. Current appropriate treatment and the progress shown in your treatment plan help the SSA understand the full picture.
Many people also share information about job duties, environmental external noise exposure, or time spent near machinery, especially if symptoms were caused by occupational noise exposure.
Our Experienced Disability Attorneys are Ready to Represent You
At Pisegna and Zimmerman, LLC, our top-rated California Social Security lawyers understand how hearing impairment conditions can affect work, communication, and overall stability. Our firm has more than sixty years of combined experience, and we remain committed to helping individuals get the maximum amount of compensation from all available sources.
What You Can Expect When You Work With Us
- Personalized Attention: Our disability attorneys offer individualized guidance that reflects your exact needs and your long-term goals.
- Clear Communication: We keep you updated, explain each step, and ensure that you always know what to expect.
- Multilingual Support: Our office provides assistance in English, Spanish, Farsi, Armenian, and Cambodian.
- Contingency-Based Representation: You do not pay upfront fees. If we do not recover benefits or a settlement, you do not owe us attorney fees.
- Free Case Review: We offer complimentary case reviews so you can understand your legal options with no cost or risk.
Our lawyers at Pisegna and Zimmerman, LLC take the time to fully review your situation and help you pursue the support you are entitled to receive. If you are dealing with hearing loss, tinnitus, or any condition that interferes with your ability to work, reach out to us today. To schedule your no-obligation, free consultation, call us at (818) 377-2200 or contact us online.