The Board has determined that a VA examination is necessary to determine the nature and etiology of the Veteran's Meniere's disease/syndrome, as it may be related to his service-connected hearing loss. The case is being remanded for this purpose.
The deciding factor: The Board found insufficient evidence to establish whether the Veteran’s Meniere's disease/syndrome was caused or aggravated by his service-connected hearing loss without a medical examination.
- Claimed conditions
- Meniere's disease/syndrome (peripheral vestibular disorder), service-connected hearing loss
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- August 20, 2019
- Citation
- 19163646
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,104 · Granted: 28% (granted or partly granted, in the vetted decisions on this site)
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
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 19163646.
What this means for you
A remand is not a loss. The Board sent the case back for more development — often a new exam or missing records — before making a final decision. Many remands later end in a grant, and the decision spells out exactly what the Board wanted to see.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Granted
The Veteran's travel to the Albuquerque VAMC on February 28, 2024, was related to his service-connected hearing loss and he received a replacement part for his cochlear implant. The claim was initially denied as untimely filed but the Board found that the appointment had been completed by March 4, 2024, and applied the benefit of the doubt in favor of the Veteran.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for Meniere's disease/syndrome, finding that there is no evidence to support a link between his active service and this condition. The Board also found that it was less likely than not caused or aggravated by his service-connected hearing loss or tinnitus.
- Remanded (sent back)
The claim for service connection for Meniere's disease/syndrome (peripheral vestibular disorder) as secondary to service-connected hearing loss is being remanded due to the need to obtain private medical records.
- Dismissed
The Veteran withdrew his appeals for the right knee condition, right leg injury, sleep apnea, hearing loss, and PTSD rating. The appeal is dismissed.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.