Vertigo & vestibular disorders decisions — 2015

The Board is remanding the claims for an increased rating and earlier effective date for Meniere's syndrome due to additional development of evidence, including a VA examination.

The Board has decided to remand the case for additional development, including verification of the Veteran's service prior to June 1972 and obtaining any available service treatment records. The Veteran will be given an opportunity to respond after this is completed.

The Veteran's claim for a payment rate in excess of 60 percent for educational assistance under the Post-9/11 GI Bill is denied as he did not have at least 18 months of active duty after September 10, 2001.

The Veteran's benign paroxysmal positional vertigo is found to be at least as likely the result of exposure to a concussive blast during service, and thus service connection for this condition is granted.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability is found to be directly related to his period of active service, and he is granted service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to the Director of Compensation Service for consideration of an extraschedular TDIU rating due to service-connected disabilities. The case will be returned to the Board if a decision on this issue is not made.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's vertigo, which is associated with his service-connected mastoiditis and vertigo, is related to Meniere's disease. Therefore, the claim for service connection for Meniere's disease on a secondary basis is granted.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are at least as likely as not related to his in-service noise exposure. The remaining claims of service connection for Meniere's disease, basal cell carcinoma, and residuals of a tumor of the right thigh have been remanded due to insufficient evidence regarding their etiology.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, vertigo, and increased ratings for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a finding of service connection or entitlement to higher ratings.

The Board has vacated the July 8, 2014 decision regarding service connection for PAN and granted service connection for PAN. The issue of service connection for Meniere's disease is remanded.

The Board has found that the Veteran's deviated nasal septum, vestibular disorder, and varicocele are related to service. The claims for these conditions have been granted.

The Veteran's vertigo is rated at 30 percent, effective June 7, 2010. His bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are separately rated as part of his Meniere's disease diagnosis.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal to reopen previously denied claims of service connection for pterygium and left ear hearing loss, tinnitus, and vertigo.

The Board has granted service connection for left ear damage with dizziness, sinusitis, sleep apnea, and pseudofolliculitis barbae. The Veteran's complaints of these conditions during service are supported by the medical records, which show symptoms such as pain, popping, dizziness, and drainage in his ears and nose.

The Veteran's headaches are related to his active service and the Board has granted service connection for this condition. The issue of service connection for vertigo/dizziness is addressed in the REMAND portion of the decision.

The Veteran is seeking service connection for vestibular schwannoma, which he claims was caused by exposure to toxic chemical fumes during his military service. The case has been remanded due to incomplete records and the need for additional medical opinions.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including Meniere's disease, coronary artery disease, lumbar strain, duodenal ulcer, chronic rhinitis, hemorrhoids, radiculopathy of the right leg, and residual scarring, render him unable to follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board denied the appellant's claims of service connection for an eye disorder, a right knee disorder, and residuals of a fractured right wrist and metacarpal. The appeals regarding gallstones, plantar warts, vertigo, and carpal tunnel syndrome were withdrawn prior to decision.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for Meniere's disease has been reopened. The decision to reduce the evaluation of hearing loss from 20 percent to 10 percent was denied, as well as the claims for increased ratings.

The Veteran's claims for Meniere's disease, hypertension, heart disease, and IBS were denied as there is no evidence of these conditions in service or related to service. The Veteran has a current diagnosis of a left ear scar with crusting.