Vertigo & vestibular disorders decisions — 2015

The Board is reopening the claim of entitlement to service connection for blurred vision and remanding it for further development. The claims for higher initial ratings for adjustment disorder, vertigo, and tinnitus are fully decided. Effective dates for grants of service connection for these disabilities are also being considered.

The Veteran's vertigo was not incurred in or aggravated by active military service and is not related to a service-connected disability, including bilateral hearing loss and/or tinnitus.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, when evaluated in association with his education and occupational experience, have at least as likely as not made him unable to obtain and retain substantially gainful employment. The Board finds that TDIU is warranted.

The Veteran's TBI residuals, including headaches and light-headedness, are rated at 40 percent effective June 21, 2012. His left ankle tendonitis is not service-connected. The Veteran was granted a 10 percent evaluation for GERD from March 26, 2012.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, back injury, and hip condition are not related to his military service. The claim for Meniere's syndrome is pending as it relates to a different issue.

The Board has granted service connection for psoriasis and vertigo, as well as restored the 50 percent disability rating for bilateral sensorineural hearing loss. The Veteran's symptoms of psoriasis and vertigo were initially manifested during service and have continued since then.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, dizziness and vertigo, a compensable evaluation for bilateral hearing loss prior to June 20, 2011, and entitlement to TDIU. The Veteran's claim for increased rating of his hearing loss was also denied.

The Veteran's appeal is denied as the Board finds that his left eye disability and neurological/vestibular disorder are not service-connected.

The Veteran has tinnitus that is the result of disease or injury incurred during active military service. The Board finds the Veteran's statements regarding an in-service onset of tinnitus to be credible and grants service connection for tinnitus.

The Veteran's claim for an increased evaluation of his left ear hearing loss is remanded due to the need for a new VA examination. The examiner must assess the current severity of his bilateral hearing loss and determine if he has vertigo or other disability manifested by dizziness, which may be related to his hearing loss.

The Veteran's service-connected vertigo and post-concussive headaches have been granted initial compensable ratings of 10% and 30%, respectively, effective from August 9, 2007. The Veteran's motion sickness claim is pending.

The Board has dismissed the appeal as the RO has already granted service connection for tinnitus and vertigo in a May 2013 rating decision.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and scheduling a new VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of his Meniere's disease.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for a VA examination to determine if his current vertigo, headaches, and dizziness are related to his in-service Anthrax vaccinations.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining a VA examination and addressing whether the Veteran's vertigo is proximately caused or aggravated by his service-connected tinnitus.

The Board found that the Veteran's bilateral ear condition is not proximately due to, or the result of, or chronically aggravated by his service-connected right ear hearing loss.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, tinnitus and vertigo, and peripheral neuropathy are not service-connected.,The Veteran's disability manifested by tinnitus and vertigo, and his peripheral neuropathy were caused by medical treatment furnished by the VA but were reasonably foreseeable and were not the result of carelessness, negligence, lack of proper skill, error in judgment or similar instance of fault on the part of the Department. Therefore, service connection is denied.,The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder was not related to his active duty service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including major depressive disorder and migraine headaches, have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.