Vertigo & vestibular disorders decisions — 2017

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining National Guard service records and scheduling a VA examination. The Veteran's claim for service connection for Meniere's disease will be reconsidered based on the new evidence.

The Board finds that the evidence is in equipoise as to whether the Veteran sustained an injury during ACDUTRA service, and therefore grants service connection for vertigo.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's Meniere's disease did not have its onset in active service or within one year thereafter, and it is not related to active service or service-connected hearing loss or tinnitus. Therefore, the claim for service connection for Meniere's disease is denied.

The Veteran's otitis externa with excessive wax and discharge is related to his military service. Service connection for CFS and vertigo are not established as there is no current diagnosis of these conditions prior to the filing of the claim.

The Veteran's sleep apnea is granted as secondary to his service-connected anxiety disorder. His tinnitus remains at a maximum rating of 10 percent, and the Board finds no basis for an increased rating. The issues of anxiety disorder NOS and discontinuity of the middle ear ossicles are remanded for additional development.

Your service connection for bilateral patulous Eustachian tubes has been granted. There are no other current disabilities affecting the bilateral ears, and your appeal is dismissed as moot.

The Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for Meniere's disease and PTSD with mood disorder have been granted. The effective date for PTSD is set at December 29, 2005, which the Veteran contends was not CUE.

The Veteran's migrainous vertigo disability was granted a 50% rating effective January 20, 2016. The claim for an increased initial rating prior to April 8, 2010 remains pending.

The Board finds that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of sinusitis or vertigo, and thus, cannot establish service connection for these conditions.

The Board finds that the Veteran's current peripheral vestibular disability is not linked to his military service or any service-connected disabilities, and thus denies his claim for service connection.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for dizziness and vertigo, finding that he does not have a current disability for VA purposes.

The Board found that the appellant's hearing loss and tinnitus were not incurred or aggravated by his service, including ACDUTRA. The balance disorder was determined to have pre-existed his service and was not aggravated during service.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for additional development due to incomplete records and need for addendum opinions.

The Veteran seeks service connection for vertigo, which she contends is related to her military service. The Board has determined that the current VA examinations are inadequate and remands the case for further development.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including hearing loss disability of the right ear and an initial compensable rating for hearing loss disability of the left ear, have been denied. The Veteran has not presented evidence of current disabilities or a nexus to service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's vertigo and Meniere's disease did not manifest in service or are otherwise related to his military service, and therefore denied the claim for service connection.

The Veteran's bilateral pes planus and paroxysmal positional vertigo (previously diagnosed as cardiogenic syncope) disabilities have been rated based on their service-connected status.,The Veteran is granted higher disability ratings for his bilateral pes planus and paroxysmal positional vertigo (previously diagnosed as cardiogenic syncope) disabilities.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's sleep apnea and Meniere's disease had their onset during active service, meeting all elements for service connection.

The Veteran's TBI and psychiatric disorder were granted effective November 19, 2005. The Board found that the low back, neck, and right ankle conditions are not related to service.

The Board has vacated the March 2017 decision and determined that BPPV was incurred in service, but did not make a determination on secondary service connection for tinnitus or hearing loss.