The Board has reopened the claim of service connection for vertigo and granted it. The claims of service connection for a back disability, otitis media, and total disability based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disorders are dismissed as the Veteran withdrew them at his hearing. Posttraumatic stress disorder with dysthymia is found to be incurred in service.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's statements regarding his combat experiences during the Korean War were credible, and a VA psychologist provided an opinion linking his posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) with his in-service stressors. The September 2011 VA examiner did not provide sufficient rationale for his conclusion that the vertigo does not relate to service.
- Claimed conditions
- vertigo, low back disability, acquired psychiatric disorder (posttraumatic stress and dysthymic disorders)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 25, 2016
- Citation
- 1621085
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. Look up the original decision on VA.gov (opens in a new tab) using citation 1621085.
What this means for you
A partial grant means some issues were granted while others were denied or remanded — common in multi-issue claims. Look at which issues went which way, and how each was argued.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Denied
The Board has denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for hypertension, fibromyalgia, and vertigo. The decision found that there was no evidence linking these conditions to his military service or a service-connected disability.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are found to be related to military noise exposure during service.,The Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea, gastrointestinal (GI) disability, and vertigo are remanded for further examination and opinion.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has found that remand is needed for the Veteran's claims due to duty to assist errors, including clarification of periods of service and obtaining relevant records. The Veteran will be afforded new medical examinations for each claimed disability.
- Granted
The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for vertigo, finding that it is related to a head injury sustained during active duty. The decision resolves all reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran.
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