Vertigo & vestibular disorders decisions — 2018

The Board denied service connection for a peripheral vestibular disorder manifested by dizziness/vertigo, finding that the Veteran's vertigo is not related to his service-connected bilateral hearing loss and did not develop in service or within one year after discharge.

The Veteran's appeal for right elbow disability was withdrawn prior to the Board's decision.,There is no evidence of a current disability manifested by muscle spasms or bilateral hip disability. The Veteran has not been shown to have these conditions.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's Meniere's disease and BPPV are related to his active military service, granting entitlement to service connection for these conditions.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss, vertigo (Meniere’s syndrome), and acquired psychiatric disability (PTSD and anxiety disorder) due to insufficient evidence in the record. The Veteran was exposed to gunfire during service but no VA examination or medical records were provided.

The Board has remanded the claims for entitlement to service connection for various conditions due to a lack of VA treatment records from 2012 onwards. The Veteran's service treatment records are unavailable and have been destroyed.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's Meniere's disease is related to his in-service noise exposure and grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has granted service connection for pain and weakness in the arms, headaches, and benign paroxysmal positional vertigo on the right side (also claimed as dizziness) due to evidence showing a relationship between these conditions and the Veteran's military service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to outstanding VA treatment records and the need for additional examinations. The issues include vertigo, dyspnea, erectile dysfunction, fibromyalgia, GERD, hypertension, neuralgia of upper extremities, prostatitis, sleep apnea disorder, and otitis externa.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are not rated higher than the current levels, and service connection for a peripheral vestibular disorder is remanded due to conflicting opinions.

Veteran granted compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 for post-operative vertigo as result of February 2007 VA right ear stapedectomy surgery, but denied tinnitus.,The Veteran's post-operative vertigo was due to an event not reasonably foreseeable.

The Veteran's hearing loss and tinnitus are granted as service connected, but his vertigo is denied.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for right foot paresthesia and increased rating for vertigo due to insufficient medical opinions regarding their etiology.

The Board has determined that a remand is necessary to provide the Veteran with a new examination as the September 2012 VA examination is inadequate. The examiner's opinion regarding the cause of the Veteran’s vertigo and dizziness was not supported by adequate evidence.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim of service connection for TBI and Vestibular Condition, previously claimed as head injury. The case is remanded to obtain updated VA treatment records and a new examination to determine if the current disability is related to military service.

The Veteran's claim for extension of delimiting date for Montgomery GI Bill education benefits was denied because the evidence did not clearly establish that a program of education was infeasible due to his service-connected and nonservice-connected disabilities during the original eligibility period.

The Board has remanded the case for further development and consideration, including a new VA examination to determine the current nature and severity of the Veteran's service-connected PTSD with depression and TBI with vertigo. The issues on appeal include the propriety of combining the ratings for these conditions and the Veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability.

The Veteran's IBS is rated at 30 percent prior to May 9, 2018. The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for skin disability, vertigo, headache disability, and memory loss due to inadequate medical opinions.

Service connection for tinnitus is granted.,The appeal as to service connection for sinusitis and bronchitis is dismissed due to the Veteran's request for withdrawal of his appeal.,Right ear hearing loss is remanded for further examination and opinion.,PTSD rating in excess of 50 percent is remanded with new evidence considered.,TDIU is remanded as it is inextricably intertwined with PTSD.

Service connection is granted for hemorrhoids and PTSD. The Veteran's headaches, right ear otitis media with vertigo, and left ear otitis media with vertigo are remanded for further review.,The Board finds that service connection is warranted for the Veteran’s claimed conditions based on direct evidence of a nexus to his military service.

The Veteran's claims for a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss and an initial rating in excess of 10 percent disabling for Meniere’s syndrome are remanded due to insufficient medical evidence on file from which the Board can accurately determine the current severity of her service-connected conditions.