Vertigo & vestibular disorders decisions — 2014

The Veteran withdrew his claim of entitlement to service connection for vertigo prior to the Board's decision.

The Board found that the Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for service connection of Peripheral Vestibular Dysfunction was not valid, and denied his claim. The Board also determined there was no clear and unmistakable error in the August 2000 rating decision denying bilateral hearing loss disability.

The Board found that the Veteran's head trauma residuals did not have their clinical onset in service and are not otherwise related to active duty, thus denying his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to technical difficulties with the previous hearing transcript and a request for a new videoconference hearing.

The Veteran's vertigo is being remanded for additional development, including a Gulf War examination to determine if it may be related to his Persian Gulf service. The case will also be reviewed to see if new evidence has reopened the claim.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for a Travel Board hearing. The issues of increased disability rating for Meniere's syndrome, service connection for right knee patellofemoral syndrome, and service connection for rhinitis are pending.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's vertigo did not have its onset in or as a result of service and is not secondary to or aggravated by his service-connected disorders, including hearing loss and tinnitus.

The Board has determined that a new examination and medical opinions are needed to address the Veteran's claims for service connection due to inadequate previous examinations.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain additional medical records and to provide the Veteran with a VA examination for her vertigo, loss of libido, ankle disability, and psychiatric disabilities. The issues related to service connection are being addressed.

The Veteran's TBI residuals, including seizures and migraines, are rated at 100% for seizures and 50% for migraines. The PTSD is rated at 50%. The rating for physical symptoms of TBI remains at 40%. The effective date is not specified.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for Meniere's disease, PTSD and depressive disorder, and TBI have been remanded due to the need for additional development.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for Meniere's disease, hearing loss, and headaches was denied in the February 1995 rating decision. The Board denied service connection for headaches in October 1997. Service connection for bilateral otitis media with perforation of tympanic membrane and tinnitus was granted effective August 1, 1994. The Veteran's claim for Meniere's disease was received on January 23, 2008, after the February 1995 rating decision.

The Board has determined that the evidence is at least in equipoise and finds service connection for disequilibrium disorder to be granted.

The Board has remanded the case for further development due to the need for an examination and review of medical records.

The Board has remanded the issue of entitlement to service connection for a right arm nerve disability due to conflicting evidence regarding its etiology.,For the issues of entitlement to service connection for right forearm muscle strain and vertigo, the appellant is not entitled to service connection on any basis.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for service connection of vertigo prior to the Board's decision. The claim for a higher rating for right hand fracture remains pending.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for service connection and initial rating of Meniere's disease and anxiety disorder with features of agoraphobia with panic disorder is denied. The effective dates are determined based on the date of receipt of claims or the date entitlement arose, whichever is later.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for vertigo is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including a VA examination and review of relevant records.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for an addendum opinion regarding the relationship between the Veteran's in-service symptoms and his current diagnosis of Meniere's disease.