Vertigo & vestibular disorders decisions — 2014

The Board found that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, sinusitis and sinus headaches, and Môniére's syndrome with vertigo are not directly related to his service or service-connected disabilities. However, the Board determined that these conditions were aggravated by his service-connected tinnitus disability.

The Veteran is seeking service connection for Meniere's Syndrome, which he contends was caused by noise exposure during his military service. The claim is being remanded to obtain a VA examination and additional medical records.

The Veteran is seeking an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for Meniere's disease, which was granted in 2008. The Board has remanded this issue due to a separate claim of alleged clear and unmistakable error (CUE) in a previous rating decision.

The Veteran has withdrawn all issues on appeal, including the claims for a higher initial rating for benign positional vertigo and service connection for vision problems.

The Veteran's initial rating of 10% for vertigo has been increased to 30%. The rating is based on the current level of disability, which includes occasional dizziness and ataxic gait (staggering).

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability prior to June 1, 2005. The appeal is remanded due to incomplete records and inconsistent employment history.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim of service connection for Meniere's disease with hearing loss and tinnitus due to new evidence submitted since the last final denial. The case is now remanded for further development, including a VA examination.

The Veteran's chronic subjective dizziness and vertigo were incurred during service, while her laryngopharyngeal reflux was manifested by recurrent epigastric distress with symptoms of dysphagia, pyrosis, and substernal pain. The claims are granted.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has not been received to reopen the claims of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, to include PTSD, arthritis of the hips, arthritis of the knees, a sinus disability, a low back disability, and headaches. The claims are therefore denied.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and issuing a statement of the case regarding the claim of service connection for tinnitus. The claims of service connection for left ear hearing loss and an increased rating for right ear hearing loss will be readjudicated in light of all evidence of record.

The Board found no evidence of a nexus between the inner ear disorder, to include vertigo and dizziness, and service or any other factor. The Veteran's claim for direct service connection was denied.

The Veteran's peripheral vestibular disorder is found to have started during her military service and continues post-service, warranting service connection.

The Veteran's vertigo and Meniere's disease were not caused by his military service, and the Board denied his claim for service connection.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected left ear hearing loss with vertigo did not meet the criteria for a higher rating during the year prior to October 23, 2009. As such, an earlier effective date is denied.

The Board has granted service connection for hypertension and headaches as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected PTSD. Other claims are remanded for further development.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a chronic disability manifested by dizziness and therefore, service connection for a peripheral vestibular disorder, claimed as dizziness, to include as secondary to service-connected hearing loss or service-connected tinnitus is denied.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for Meniere's disease and PTSD. The Board found that there was no evidence linking the current conditions to her military service.

The Veteran's hearing loss of the right ear is found to be related to his military service, specifically exposure to loud noise during his time as a jet engine mechanic in the Marine Corps.,While the Veteran has reported pruritus (itching) of both ears since 1995, there is no evidence linking this condition to his military service. The examiner noted that it was not possible to determine if the acoustic neuroma caused by his right ear hearing loss contributed to the pruritus.

The Board found that the Veteran's vertigo, dizziness, and headaches did not have its onset in or is otherwise attributable to service or a service-connected disability.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD requires a grant of TDIU, and the Board finds that he is unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment due to his PTSD symptoms.