Vertigo & vestibular disorders decisions — 2008

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including verification of in-service stressors and examination to determine the nature and etiology of his current Meniere's disease.

The Board found that the veteran's vertigo did not manifest during service and is not otherwise causally related to service. Therefore, the claim for service connection for vertigo was denied.

The Board found that the veteran does not have vertigo that is related to service or a service-connected disability, and thus denied his claim for service connection.

The VA denied the veteran's claim for a total disability evaluation based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disorders. The veteran has been granted a 30 percent rating for his vestibular dizziness, but is now seeking an additional evaluation.

The veteran's bilateral hearing loss is rated at 10 percent, effective December 4, 2006. The claim for an increased rating remains pending.,Service connection for a depressive disorder and vertigo was denied as the conditions are not related to service or service-connected disabilities.,A May 2007 RO decision increased the evaluation of bilateral hearing loss to 10 percent, effective December 4, 2006. The veteran's claim remains pending.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including a VA otolaryngology examination to determine the nature and etiology of any disability manifested by vertigo that may be present, to include an underlying vestibular disorder. The examiner is asked to provide opinions on whether the veteran's current disability is related to service or caused/aggravated by his service-connected hearing loss and/or tinnitus.

The Board has decided that additional development is needed to determine the nature and etiology of the veteran's vertigo, which may be related to his service-connected hearing loss and tinnitus.

The Board denied service connection for vertigo, finding no nexus to service and noting conflicting opinions from the veteran's private physician and VA examiner. The claim was reopened based on new evidence provided by a private physician.

The Board found no evidence to support the veteran's claim of service connection for vertigo/loss of balance and denied his claim. The hearing loss was rated as non-compensable.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for vertigo and tinnitus, finding that there is no medical evidence to support either condition or a relationship between them and his military service.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection as there was no evidence of in-service exposure to radiation, mercury, or lead. The claimed disabilities were not related to his military service.

The veteran's claims for an increased rating for bilateral tinnitus and service connection for Meniere's disease were denied. The Board found that the veteran is already receiving the maximum disability rating available for tinnitus under the applicable rating criteria, and there was no evidence to support a finding of secondary service connection for Meniere's disease.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for hepatitis, gastrointestinal disability, Meniere's disease, and a psychiatric disability. The evidence did not establish current disabilities or link these conditions to service.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for an earlier effective date for service connection of PTSD, and remanded his claims for headaches and Meniere's disease to obtain additional medical opinions.

The Board found no evidence of current hearing loss in the left ear and opined that service connection for right ear hearing loss is not warranted due to lack of aggravation. Service connection was denied for otitis media and Meniere's disease as there is no current diagnosis or link to service.

The Board denied the appellant's claims for increased evaluations of his bilateral hearing loss disability and service connection for Meniere's syndrome, finding no legal basis to award an increased schedular evaluation.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a vertigo disorder and right ear hearing loss, finding no evidence of current disability or in-service incurrence or aggravation.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for Meniere's disease with vertigo and cerebellar gait, finding that it did not meet the criteria due to lack of evidence showing a causal relationship between his service-connected hearing loss in the left ear and his current condition.

The Board has granted service connection for xerosis and other conditions, including gastroesophageal reflux disease, vertigo, chronic fatigue syndrome, folliculitis, right ankle disability, aphthous ulcers, sinus tachycardia, rhinosinusitis, hypertension, migraine headaches, and bilateral hearing loss. The psychiatric condition is also service connected.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and Meniere's disease as there is no evidence of in-service acoustic trauma or disease that could be linked to these conditions.