How the Board ruled on vertigo and dizziness claims, 2021–2025

Vertigo / dizziness (direct service connection)

Direct (began in or was caused by service), or theory not stated in the Board order

38.1% granted of 625 decided cases (margin of error 34.4–41.9%). 238 granted, 387 denied, 890 sent back to VA (remanded, not decided), 142 dismissed.

What convinced the Board in granted cases

• The Board granted when a medical opinion, often from a private specialist or treating doctor, linked the vertigo to service with a rationale based on the veteran's history, especially when no contrary opinion existed. (5 of 9 decisions read; e.g. A25038356, 22002223, 22055198)
• The Board gave little or no weight to VA opinions that were conclusory or ignored the veteran's reported symptoms and earlier complaints in the record. (3 of 9 decisions read; e.g. A23011172, A21002328, 21069071)
• The Board credited the veteran's consistent testimony that dizziness began in service, for example after a head injury, blast, or noise exposure, and continued since, especially when treatment records backed it up. (5 of 9 decisions read; e.g. A23015491, A23026750, A23011172)

Common reasons in denied cases

• Most denials found no current diagnosis of vertigo or a balance disorder during the claim; the veteran's report of dizziness alone did not establish a diagnosis. (11 of 15 decisions read; e.g. A25003675, 21039636, A24007271)
• The Board relied on thorough VA opinions against a link, for example finding in-service dizziness was brief and from another cause, or that tinnitus does not cause Meniere's disease. (3 of 15 decisions read; e.g. 21076795, A24045776, 21043793)
• The Board denied when the veteran's statements about continuous symptoms were inconsistent with the records, or when symptoms first appeared decades after service. (4 of 15 decisions read; e.g. 21047358, 24004761, 21043793)

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Vertigo / dizziness secondary to any service-connected condition

Secondary (caused or worsened by a service-connected condition)

43.2% granted of 176 decided cases (margin of error 36.1–50.6%). 76 granted, 100 denied, 414 sent back to VA (remanded, not decided), 15 dismissed.

What convinced the Board in granted cases

• The Board favored opinions that reviewed the history, cited medical literature, and explained how the service-connected condition, such as hearing loss, tinnitus, or diabetes, could cause the dizziness. (4 of 11 decisions read; e.g. A23015483, A25000768, 21059392)
• Many grants rested on a favorable examiner opinion, usually from VA, with no adequate opinion against it. (5 of 11 decisions read; e.g. A23030005, 23004629, A21017420)
• Negative VA opinions lost weight when they relied only on a lack of in-service records or conflicted with the record and the veteran's credible account. (2 of 11 decisions read, few decisions; e.g. A25036473, 24009991)

Common reasons in denied cases

• The Board denied when a VA examiner reviewed the records, examined the veteran, gave a clear reason against a link, and no competing medical opinion existed. (4 of 10 decisions read; e.g. 21003734, 21017370, 21001857)
• The veteran's own belief that hearing loss or tinnitus caused the vertigo was not treated as competent medical evidence of a link. (4 of 10 decisions read; e.g. 21003734, 21065061, A24021873)
• Other claims failed because a private opinion had too little reasoning, no chronic dizziness disability was diagnosed, or records contradicted the reported history of symptoms. (4 of 10 decisions read; e.g. 21018349, A21008087, 23041703)

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Vertigo / dizziness secondary to tinnitus

Secondary (caused or worsened by a service-connected condition)

40.3% granted of 62 decided cases (margin of error 29.0–52.7%). 25 granted, 37 denied, 143 sent back to VA (remanded, not decided), 5 dismissed.

What convinced the Board in granted cases

• The Board gave more weight to private opinions, often from treating doctors who knew the veteran's history, that clearly explained how tinnitus and the inner ear problem led to or worsened the dizziness. (4 of 9 decisions read; e.g. 24020994, 21051055, A24025454)
• VA opinions lost weight when they were conclusory, cited no literature, rested on inaccurate facts, ignored the veteran's consistent account, or relied only on a lack of in-service records. (4 of 9 decisions read; e.g. 21051055, A24025454, A24016107)
• Some grants came from VA examiners' own findings that tinnitus causes dizziness or that the hearing loss, tinnitus and vertigo were intertwined, sometimes backed by credible spouse and family statements. (4 of 9 decisions read; e.g. 24017246, A24069753, A25036473)

Common reasons in denied cases

• Most denials rested on a reasoned VA opinion, unrebutted by any medical opinion, explaining that the vertigo type (often BPPV, from loose inner-ear crystals) occurs alongside tinnitus but is not caused by it. (7 of 10 decisions read; e.g. A21011148, 21006426, 21003734)
• The veteran's own belief that tinnitus caused the vertigo, or a general article not tied to the veteran, was not treated as competent medical evidence. (4 of 10 decisions read; e.g. 23005440, 21006426, 21003734)
• Some claims failed for no current diagnosis, such as no confirmed Meniere's disease, or symptoms too brief to be a disability, or because another cause was found more likely. (3 of 10 decisions read; e.g. A25016236, A24047262, 22053070)

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Vertigo / dizziness secondary to hearing loss

Secondary (caused or worsened by a service-connected condition)

Small sample: 27 decided cases, too few for a reliable percentage. 12 granted, 15 denied, 53 sent back to VA (remanded, not decided), 5 dismissed.

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