The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) and whether it is secondary to his service-connected hearing loss and/or tinnitus.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner did not consider the Veteran's statements about the onset of symptoms related to ear infections during service, nor did they discuss the in-service noise exposure. Additionally, no opinion was provided on whether the BPPV is caused or aggravated by his service-connected bilateral hearing loss and/or tinnitus.
- Claimed conditions
- benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV), right ruptured eardrum
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 5, 2021
- Citation
- 21067839
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 21067839.
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.
- Partly granted
The Board granted a 50 percent rating for migraine headaches, a 30 percent rating for benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV), and a 10 percent rating for tinnitus. The right hip strain claim was remanded.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for benign paroxysmal positional vertigo and Meniere's syndrome, as well as entitlement to a total disability evaluation based on individual unemployability (TDIU), due to an insufficient medical opinion regarding aggravation.
- Remanded (sent back)
The appeal regarding entitlement to service connection for benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) is remanded due to inadequate medical opinions.
- Partly granted
The Board granted a disability rating of 30 percent for benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) beginning April 30, 2024, and denied an increased rating in excess of 10 percent for tinnitus.
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