Vertigo & vestibular disorders decisions — 2018

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for ancient schwannoma and vertigo on a secondary basis, as well as his claim for TDIU prior to April 25, 2008. The issues are inextricably intertwined due to the potential impact on the combined total disability rating.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss, vertigo (claimed as secondary to tinnitus), and a rating in excess for 10 percent for tinnitus. The decision found that new and material evidence had not been received to reopen the claim for bilateral hearing loss, and that there was no legal basis for service connection for vertigo or tinnitus.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral diabetic retinopathy with pseudophakia, depression, fatigue, and communication difficulties (speech) as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected Meniere’s disease with bilateral hearing loss. The rating assigned for Meniere’s disease was 80 percent.

The Veteran's PTSD, right ear hearing loss, chronic diarrhea, migraines, and vertigo are all granted as service-connected.,However, the rating for left ear hearing loss is remanded.

The Board denied service connection for vertigo, including as secondary to tinnitus or bilateral hearing loss. The Board also denied the claim for a total disability based on individual unemployability (TDIU).

The Veteran's claim for service connection for vitiligo was granted. The claims for increased ratings for right and left hand scars, PTSD, hypothyroidism, and vertigo were all remanded.

The Veteran's claims for herpes simplex II, acquired psychiatric disorder, defective vision, dizziness or loss of sleep, and headaches have been granted. The claim for TDIU is remanded.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for vertigo and a psychiatric disorder due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to his military service. The case is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling a VA examination.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for vertigo, dizziness, and depressive disorder are denied as there is no evidence of a current disability that is related to his military service or any service-connected condition.

The Board denied service connection for a right knee disorder and remanded the issues of service connection for a right shoulder disorder and vertigo. The case is now REMANDED for further development.

The Board is remanding several claims, including those related to headaches, allergic rhinitis, hemorrhagia with secondary iron-deficiency anemia, injury of the right hand and wrist, tinnitus, and vertigo. The AOJ must consider all additional evidence since the last adjudications in September 2016 and September 2018.

The Veteran's skin disability, vertigo, hepatitis, and back disability are now service-connected with effective dates set at November 3, 2008.

The Board has granted service connection for vertigo, including as secondary to the service-connected bilateral hearing loss. The evidence shows that the Veteran had exposure to loud noise during service and developed symptoms of vertigo later in life.

The Board denied service connection for vertigo and a higher rating for bilateral hearing loss on an extraschedular basis. The TDIU claim is remanded.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for vertigo, finding that it is neither proximately due to nor aggravated by his service-connected bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus.

The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including bilateral shin splints, coronary artery disease, moyamoya disease, and residuals of a stroke. The Board found that the Veteran did not have these conditions incurred during her active military service or related to an in-service injury.

The Veteran's varicose veins are not shown to be causally or etiologically related to any disease, injury, or incident during service and are not caused or aggravated by his service-connected peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities.,The Veteran’s vertigo is not related to service or his service-connected bilateral hearing loss and/or tinnitus. The examiner found no mention of the vertigo in the Veteran's service records.,The Veteran has a skin disorder, including actinic keratosis, cutis rhomboidalis, dermatographia, angiokeratoma, which is not related to herbicide exposure or pre-existing conditions.,There is no evidence that the Veteran’s hypertension was caused by his service-connected idiopathic cardiomyopathy with CAD and atrial fibrillation and/or diabetes mellitus, type II. The examiner noted that hypertension does not cause CAD.,The Veteran's umbilical hernia is not related to his in-service bilateral inguinal herniotomies or heart conditions. There was no current diagnosis of a ventral hernia during the appeal period.,There is insufficient evidence to determine if the Veteran’s erectile dysfunction is related to his service-connected idiopathic cardiomyopathy with CAD and atrial fibrillation and/or diabetes mellitus, type II.

The appeal seeking a rating in excess of 30 percent for vertigo is dismissed.,The appeals to reopen claims of service connection for left shoulder disability and residuals of head injury (including headaches) are denied.

The Veteran seeks service connection for benign paroxysmal positional vertigo, claimed as dizziness. The Board finds that an additional VA examination is needed to address the relationship between his condition and presumed in-service herbicide exposure.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection due to missing VA treatment records, as well as a need for further examination of his lumbar spine disability. The Veteran's claim for reopening a previously denied left knee disability is also remanded.