Vertigo & vestibular disorders decisions — 2017

The Board has determined that the Veteran did not have service in Vietnam and, therefore, is not entitled to presumptive service connection for any conditions based on herbicide exposure. The claims of service connection for various disabilities are denied as there is no evidence of a direct relationship between these conditions and his military service.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development to address the Veteran's symptoms of nausea, headaches, and ear pain in relation to her service-connected left ear hearing loss and peripheral vestibular disorder.

The Veteran's vertigo/Meniere's disease and heart condition are not found to be related to his military service or secondary to his service-connected conditions. The initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss is denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current Meniere's disease, hearing loss, and tinnitus are not related to service or any other service-connected disability.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's Meniere's disease and BPPV are not related to his active duty service, and thus denied both claims.

The Veteran's GERD, headaches, and Meniere's disease have been granted initial ratings. The GERD is rated at 30 percent; the headaches are rated at 10 percent prior to March 30, 2016 and in excess of 10 percent thereafter; and the Meniere's disease is rated at 60 percent.

The Veteran's appeal has been dismissed as the appellant requested withdrawal of his appeal.

The Board has granted service connection for hypertension and Meniere's syndrome with symptoms of vertigo, tinnitus and hearing loss due to in-service noise exposure and combat injuries. The Veteran's current diagnoses are considered presumptive under the Gulf War Syndrome presumption.

The Board has remanded the case for further development to clarify the nature, cause, and current severities of the disabilities on appeal.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral tilted optic discs and peripheral vestibular disorder, finding that the conditions were not incurred or aggravated by active duty service. The Veteran's assertions of in-service onset and secondary to herbicide exposure were not supported by the evidence.

The Board found that the Veteran's sleep apnea is attributable to service and granted service connection for this condition. The remaining claims of entitlement to service connection for enlarged left thyroid, gout, FSG, and vertigo are addressed in the REMAND portion of the decision.

The Veteran's claim is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining updated treatment records and conducting a VA examination to assess the severity of his fracture of the left zygomatic arch. The issue remains whether he is entitled to a rating in excess of 10 percent.

The Veteran's service-connected organic brain syndrome, peripheral vestibular disorder, and headaches are rated at 70 percent combined as of December 9, 2011. The Board finds the Veteran unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment due solely to his service-connected disabilities from December 9, 2011.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional medical examination and consideration of his vertigo symptoms in conjunction with his service-connected bilateral hearing loss.

The Veteran is granted a TDIU effective July 24, 2005 due to his service-connected ear disabilities preventing him from securing or following substantial gainful employment.

The Veteran's Meniere's disease, with vertigo and tinnitus, is rated at 100% since January 28, 2008.

The Veteran's service connection claim for pulmonary fibrosis has been granted. From November 16, 2010 through February 13, 2012, the Veteran was awarded a 20% rating for his bilateral hearing loss disability.

The Veteran's migraine headaches with vertigo and cervical strain have been rated, but the effectiveness of these ratings is unclear due to mixed results. The cervical spine disability has not changed in rating.

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn, and the case is dismissed.

The Veteran is granted a 100 percent rating on an extraschedular basis for chronic vestibular disequilibrium from August 24, 2010. He is also granted noncompensable ratings for right ear hearing loss.