Vertigo is not simply feeling lightheaded. It is the sensation that you or the room is moving when neither is, and it originates in the vestibular system of the inner ear - the same structure that noise, blast exposure, head injury, and ear disease can damage. The VA rates peripheral vestibular disorders under Diagnostic Code 6204 in 38 CFR 4.87.
The two rating levels
Diagnostic Code 6204 is short, and both levels depend on function rather than test values:
- 30 percent - dizziness and occasional staggering
- 10 percent - occasional dizziness
Objective findings are required
The rating schedule notes that objective findings supporting the diagnosis of a vestibular disequilibrium are required before an evaluation is assigned under this code. Vestibular function testing, documented nystagmus, or examination findings from an ear, nose, and throat clinician satisfy that; a symptom description in a primary care note usually does not, on its own.
That is the practical hurdle in most vertigo claims. Veterans describe episodes vividly and accurately, and the file contains no testing because no one ordered any. Asking a treating clinician for vestibular evaluation is often the highest-value step in the claim.
Where veterans start
Every case is different, and there is no obligation at any step. When veterans want to understand what their records actually support, these are the two most common starting points:
- Medical records review
A licensed physician reviews your records for a $250 flat fee and identifies which conditions the available evidence may support. The fee is refunded in full if nothing supportable is identified.
- Nexus letter
When the records support one, a licensed provider writes the medical opinion addressing the link between your hearing condition and your service, including delayed-onset reasoning where that applies.
How vertigo combines with hearing conditions
The note accompanying Diagnostic Code 6204 provides that hearing impairment or suppuration is evaluated separately and combined. So a veteran with documented vestibular disequilibrium and measurable hearing loss can hold both evaluations, and a tinnitus rating under Diagnostic Code 6260 is a separate 10 percent again.
Meniere's disease is the exception, because its criteria already include vertigo, hearing loss, and tinnitus together. Our Meniere's disease guide explains the choose-the-higher rule that applies there.
Service connection for vertigo
Vertigo is frequently claimed secondary to an already service-connected condition under 38 CFR 3.310 - after a traumatic brain injury, alongside chronic ear disease, or in connection with medications prescribed for a service-connected disability. It is also claimed directly where acoustic trauma, blast exposure, barotrauma from diving or flight duty, or a documented head injury appears in the service records.
Whatever the theory, the reasoning has to be specific to the veteran. Our hearing loss service connection guide and tinnitus service connection guide cover the shared framework, and migraines secondary to tinnitus covers a related pathway veterans often miss.
Documenting what episodes cost
Because the difference between 10 and 30 percent is staggering, frequency and functional impact are the evidence. A log of episodes - dates, duration, what you were doing, whether you had to stop or sit down, whether you fell - converts a general complaint into the specific picture the criteria describe. Our personal statement guide covers how to write it, and the records checklist covers the supporting documents.
When the contested element is the link to service rather than severity, that calls for a medical opinion. A medical records review identifies what your file supports, and a nexus letter provides the opinion when the records support one.
Frequently asked questions
What is the VA rating for vertigo?
Diagnostic Code 6204 provides 30 percent for dizziness with occasional staggering and 10 percent for occasional dizziness. Objective findings supporting the diagnosis are required for a rating under this code.
Can vertigo be rated with hearing loss and tinnitus?
Yes. The note to Diagnostic Code 6204 provides that hearing impairment or suppuration is rated separately and combined. Meniere's disease is handled differently - it is rated either under Diagnostic Code 6205 or by separately rating vertigo, hearing impairment, and tinnitus, whichever produces the higher evaluation, but not both.
Does vertigo have to be diagnosed by a specialist?
The regulation requires objective findings supporting the diagnosis, which in practice means vestibular testing or examination findings documented by a clinician rather than symptom reports alone.