Vertigo & vestibular disorders decisions — 2010

The Board has determined that it is at least as likely as not that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and chronic vertigo are related to his active service, including noise exposure during service. Service connection for these conditions is granted.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for vertigo was denied, and his claim for an initial compensable disability rating for bilateral hearing loss was also denied. The Board found that the Veteran did not meet the criteria for a higher disability rating based on his audiometric test results.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's vertigo is not related to his military service and therefore denied his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's initial claim for left ear hearing loss was granted with a non-compensable rating effective May 6, 2004. The Board denied the claims for an earlier effective date and service connection due to lack of evidence showing a claim within one year of discharge or prior to May 6, 2004.

The Board has determined that further development is needed before the claim for service connection for vertigo can be decided.

The Veteran's service connection claim for an inner ear disorder, including Tullio's syndrome, hypersensitivity to high-pitched noises, and vertigo is granted as his symptoms are linked to in-service noise exposure.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a vertigo/equilibrium disorder, finding that there is no medical evidence linking the condition to his military service or any service-connected disability.

The Veteran's Meniere's disease has resulted in occasional dizziness, but not hearing impairment or other symptoms. The Board granted a 10% disability rating for this condition.

The Veteran does not have service connection for Meniere's disease or bilateral hearing loss secondary to Meniere's disease due to lack of evidence supporting the claims.

The Board has granted the appellant's claim of service connection for loss of taste, bilateral hand arthritis, and benign paroxysmal positional vertigo. The other issues on appeal have been withdrawn by the appellant.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral knee disability and left ear disability, as well as his requests for increased ratings and earlier effective dates. The Board found no evidence of a chronic knee disorder present until after discharge from service and concluded that any current knee disorders are not etiologically related to service.

The Veteran's claims for increased evaluations of right shoulder arthritis and bilateral hearing loss have been denied as there is no evidence showing that the current levels of disability warrant higher ratings.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for vertigo is being remanded due to the need for a new VA examination and additional medical records.

The Board is remanding the Veteran's claims for Meniere's disease and pulmonary vascular disease to obtain additional medical opinions, gather VA treatment records, and address whether these conditions are related to service or other factors.

The Board found that neither vertigo nor a peripheral vestibular system disorder was shown to have had onset during service. The Veteran's vertigo was first documented approximately 49 years after service, and is not shown to be related to an injury, disease, or event of service or to service-connected otitis externa or bilateral hearing loss.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for acquired psychiatric disorder, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, low back disorder, skin disorder, hypertension, and vertigo. The Board found that there was no evidence of chronic manifestations of these conditions during or within one year after service discharge.

The Veteran's claim for an initial disability evaluation in excess of 10 percent for vertigo must be remanded due to the need for a new VA examination.

The Board has dismissed the appeal for an increased rating for left ear hearing loss and the claim to reopen a claim for service connection for blurred vision/refractive error. The Veteran's claim for service connection for vertigo and headaches, as residuals of a head injury in service, is reopened due to new evidence presented.

The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 30 percent for left ear vestibular nerve injury with balance disturbance and vertigo, effective from December 1, 2005, was denied as his symptoms did not warrant a higher rating under the applicable VA rating criteria.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a nervous stomach disorder, dizziness, nausea and vertigo, and an acquired psychiatric disability to include depression, anxiety and PTSD. The evidence did not establish that these conditions were incurred or aggravated by military service.