The Board found that Meniere's disease with hearing loss and tinnitus was not incurred in or aggravated by service, may not be presumed to have been incurred therein nor is it proximately due to a service-connected disability.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner concluded that the Veteran's Meniere's disease could very well be the direct result of head trauma experienced during active duty. However, this speculative language rendered the opinion insufficient for establishing service connection.
- Claimed conditions
- Meniere's disease with hearing loss and tinnitus
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- March 15, 2016
- Citation
- 1610474
This is a plain-language summary generated by AI from a public Board of Veterans’ Appeals decision. It can contain errors — always verify against the original. Search VA.gov for the original decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 1610474.
What this means for you
A final Board denial may be appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, generally within 120 days of the Board mailing date. A Supplemental Claim with new and relevant evidence is a separate option. Another Higher-Level Review of the Board decision is not available. Check your own notice: this historical decision does not set your deadline.
What you can do next
Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Whole decision: Dismissed
The Board has dismissed the Veteran's appeals for initial disability ratings and compensable ratings related to his service-connected Meniere's disease, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and effective date determinations are being remanded due to duty-to-assist errors.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim of service connection for Meniere's disease with hearing loss and tinnitus due to new evidence submitted since the last final denial. The case is now remanded for further development, including a VA examination.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claim for service connection for Meniere's disease with hearing loss and tinnitus, to include as secondary to a service-connected disability, is being remanded due to the need for clarification of the VA examiner's opinion regarding the relationship between his claimed in-service injury and current condition.
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