Vertigo & vestibular disorders decisions — 2015

The Board finds that the preponderance of evidence is against the Veteran's claims for service connection for left ear hearing loss, tinnitus, and vertigo. The VA audiologist should provide an opinion regarding the significance of threshold shifts between entrance and separation in the Veteran's case.

The Veteran's Meniere's syndrome is rated at 60 percent disabling, effective from the date of the decision. The Board found that her symptoms most closely approximated attacks of vertigo and cerebellar gait occurring one to four times a month.

The Board has determined that there is not sufficient evidence to establish a nexus between the Veteran's Meniere's syndrome and his service or any service-connected disability, including hearing loss and tinnitus. The decision concludes by denying the claim for service connection.

The Board has granted service connection and assigned initial ratings for the Veteran's right foot disability, left elbow tendonitis, and vertigo. The rating for Freiberg infraction of the right foot remains at 10 percent.

The Veteran's service-connected Meniere's syndrome is rated at 100 percent, the highest possible rating under DC 6205, due to his frequent and severe attacks of vertigo and gait imbalance.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further examination and evaluation of his PTSD and Meniere's disease with vertigo, as the most recent VA examinations are from June 2010 and July 2010 respectively. The issues of entitlement to increased ratings remain pending.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain additional VA treatment records and to schedule him for appropriate VA examinations to determine the nature and etiology of his bilateral hearing loss, vertigo, and service-connected malformed right rib status post fracture.

The Veteran was granted service connection for Meniere's disease with peripheral vertigo and assigned a 100% disability rating, effective September 20, 1996. The claim had been pending since the date of receipt of his original claim.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for large vessel disease, claimed as coronary artery disease, has been reopened. The RO granted a 50 percent evaluation for PTSD from November 22, 2010 and denied all other claims.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied. The Board found that new and material evidence was received to reopen the tinnitus, bilateral hearing loss, cervical spine disability, right and left knee disability, left and right ankle disability, right and left wrist disability, and vertigo claims. However, hypertension and sleep apnea were not shown during or within one year after service and there is no competent medical opinion linking these conditions to service.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including depression and anxiety, is related to his service-connected bilateral hearing loss disability and tinnitus.,The Veteran's vertigo is related to military service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been granted in full, and the appeal is dismissed.

The Veteran's tinnitus is related to his service-connected hearing loss disability, and the Board finds that service connection for tinnitus is granted. The claims of service connection for vertigo and sleep apnea are remanded as additional medical opinions are needed.

The Veteran's vertigo, diabetes, hemorrhoids, PTSD, right leg lesion, costochondritis, GERD, enlarged thyroid, and incontinence have been related to service or service-connected disability. The endometrial polyps are considered incurred during service.

The Veteran's right ear hearing loss disability is found to have resulted from acoustic trauma during service and the Board has granted service connection for this condition. The issue of entitlement to service connection for vertigo was also addressed, with the Board finding that it may be related to his military service.

The Veteran's service-connected migraine headaches with vertigo are productive of very frequent completely prostrating and prolonged attacks, resulting in severe economic inadaptability.

For the period December 28, 2006, to May 4, 2011, the Veteran's Meniere's disease was manifested by hearing impairment with attacks of vertigo and cerebellar gait occurring more than once weekly, with or without tinnitus. The Board found that his symptoms met the criteria for a 100 percent evaluation under DC 6205.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for a new VA examination and consideration of her claims, including whether her headaches are completely prostrating.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a left knee disability and vertigo due to lack of evidence of chronic disabilities at any time during the claim period. The Veteran's contentions have been considered, but are outweighed by the lack of objective clinical findings.

The Veteran's Meniere's disease has been rated at 30 percent since March 29, 2005. The current rating is appropriate as the Veteran experiences hearing impairment with attacks of vertigo and cerebellar gait from one to four times a month.