BVA decisions by condition
Ménière's syndrome (ménière's disease): BVA grant rates and what wins
From 2017 to 2026, the Board of Veterans' Appeals decided a ménière's syndrome (ménière's disease) issue in 1,729 decisions. It granted the ménière's syndrome (ménière's disease) issue in 26.5% of them, above the 19.4% grant rate for all conditions, denied it in 24.3%, and remanded it in 47.5%. Counting only decisions on the merits (granted or denied), 52.2% were granted.
Decisions
1,729
2017–2026
Granted
26.5%
All conditions: 19.4%
Granted on the merits
52.2%
Granted ÷ (granted + denied)
Remanded
47.5%
Denied: 24.3%
Ménière's syndrome (ménière's disease) outcomes by year
| Year | Decisions | Granted | Denied | Remanded |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 104 | 26.9% | 28.8% | 38.5% |
| 2018 | 145 | 14.5% | 31.0% | 52.4% |
| 2019 | 192 | 20.8% | 27.6% | 47.9% |
| 2020 | 194 | 18.6% | 29.9% | 51.0% |
| 2021 | 196 | 28.6% | 28.6% | 42.3% |
| 2022 | 209 | 28.7% | 14.4% | 56.9% |
| 2023 | 190 | 30.5% | 19.5% | 48.4% |
| 2024 | 215 | 28.8% | 22.8% | 48.8% |
| 2025 | 191 | 30.9% | 25.7% | 40.8% |
| 2026 | 93 | 41.9% | 14.0% | 40.9% |
Evidence in granted and denied ménière's syndrome (ménière's disease) decisions
For each kind of supporting evidence: how often the Board granted the ménière's syndrome (ménière's disease) issue on the merits when the decision mentioned it, compared with decisions that did not. These are associations, not causes, and evidence is recorded per decision, not per issue.
| In the record | Decisions | Granted when present | When absent | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Positive nexus opinion | 381 | 75.3% | 40.9% | +34.4 pts |
| Favorable VA exam | 267 | 72.0% | 46.1% | +25.8 pts |
| Buddy statement | 44 | 76.0% | 51.5% | +24.5 pts |
| Treating physician opinion | 128 | 68.5% | 50.3% | +18.2 pts |
| Private medical opinion | 709 | 61.1% | 43.6% | +17.5 pts |
| Combat service | 96 | 62.5% | 51.5% | +11.0 pts |
| Claimed as secondary | 450 | 55.1% | 51.4% | +3.7 pts |
| Lay statement | 1,354 | 50.6% | 61.7% | −11.1 pts |
- The Board applied the benefit-of-the-doubt rule (38 CFR 3.102) in 76.0% of the decisions that granted ménière's syndrome (ménière's disease).
- The Board found the veteran's statements credible in 45.1% of grants and 13.6% of denials.
Negative evidence in the record
An unfavorable exam or a negative nexus opinion often sits in the same record as favorable evidence, and the Board weighs them against each other. So these rows show how often ménière's syndrome (ménière's disease) was still granted when the record contained the negative item, not that the item helped.
| In the record | Decisions | Granted when present | When absent | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Negative nexus opinion | 901 | 48.5% | 57.1% | −8.6 pts |
| Unfavorable VA exam | 1,307 | 50.4% | 62.4% | −12.0 pts |
Why the Board granted or denied ménière's syndrome (ménière's disease)
Most common reasons in grants
- Current diagnosis established67
- Caused by the service-connected disability13
- In-service noise exposure conceded11
- Aggravated by the service-connected disability6
- Service connection established6
- Continuity of symptomatology since service4
- Service records negative or silent3
- VA examiner opinions found inadequate3
Most common reasons in denials
- No current diagnosis64
- VA examiner: less likely than not related to service50
- Preponderance of the evidence against the claim46
- No in-service complaints, treatment or diagnosis37
- Service records negative or silent34
- Current diagnosis established22
- Already at the maximum schedular rating11
- No continuity of symptomatology6
Numbers are decisions that gave the reason. Reasons are short phrases extracted by AI from each decision; common wordings of the same reason are grouped. Benefit of the doubt is reported above.
Recent ménière's syndrome (ménière's disease) decisions
Granted
Current diagnosis of Meniere's disease.; Secondary to service-connected bilateral hearing loss.; Nexus: Private physician opinion found related; VA opinion low probative value; benefit of doubt applied.
Vertigo diagnosed; Secondary to migraines; AOJ failed to develop etiology
Credible complaints of symptoms since service; Post-service diagnosis of bilateral labyrinthine hypersensitivity and/or peripheral vestibular disorder; Benefit of the doubt applied due to silent service records and inadequate negative VA opinions
Denied
No Meniere's disease diagnosis; Diagnosed with vertigo instead
Insufficient evidence of staggering/cerebellar gait prior to 9/16/2024; Combined ratings did not exceed 30%; Preponderance of evidence against higher rating
No evidence of in-service onset or treatment for vestibular disorder; Post-service onset in 2009; VA clinicians opined against service connection; No medical opinion linking Meniere's disease to service; No competent evidence for secondary claim to PTSD
Rules that apply to ménière's syndrome (ménière's disease) claims
- 38 CFR 3.303
Principles of service connection
Read it in VA Law Explorer - 38 CFR 3.310
Secondary service connection and aggravation
Read it in VA Law Explorer - 38 CFR 3.102
Reasonable doubt (benefit of the doubt)
Read it in VA Law Explorer
Research your ménière's syndrome (ménière's disease) case
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How these numbers are calculated
- Rates count decisions in which the Board decided a ménière's syndrome (ménière's disease) issue, by the outcome of that issue. Other issues in the same decision can have different outcomes.
- “Granted on the merits” leaves out remands and dismissals. “All conditions” is the grant share across every condition issue in the data.
- The data comes from CaseScribe's AI extraction of public BVA decisions (2017–2026) and can contain errors. It is updated automatically as new decisions are added.