Vertigo & vestibular disorders decisions — 2018

The Board has denied service connection for breathing difficulties, an acquired psychiatric disorder (including manic depression, alcohol abuse, mood disorder and sleep disorder), a sleep disorder, vertigo with dizziness, and headaches. The claims are being remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for Meniere’s disease, finding that it was not caused or aggravated by his in-service noise exposure or his service-connected bilateral hearing loss and/or tinnitus.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a vestibular disorder, claimed as TBI and dizziness, is denied. The Board found that the preponderance of evidence does not support a finding that his current condition is related to service or any service-connected disability.

The Board has granted service connection for Meniere's disease as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected hearing loss.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and peripheral vestibular disability (claimed as vertigo) is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and arranging for a repeat VNG test.

The Board has decided to remand the cases for further examination and opinion regarding service connection for right ear pain and vertigo condition due to lack of a medical opinion addressing whether these conditions are related to service or secondary to service-connected tinnitus.

The claim for service connection of a right knee disability was denied. The claim for service connection of an acquired psychiatric disorder (generalized anxiety disorder, depressive disorder, and panic disorder) is granted as secondary to tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss. The claim for Meniere's syndrome is remanded.

The Board has remanded the claims for higher ratings for headaches and TDIU due to incomplete records and need for updated examinations.

The appeal for a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss is dismissed. The claim for service connection for Meniere's disease is remanded.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for paroxysmal positional vertigo and onychomycosis and tinea pedis are being remanded due to the need for further VA examinations.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for a higher rating for her lumbar spine disability and for TDIU due to insufficient evidence in the record. The Veteran needs to be provided with updated VA examinations to assess the severity of her disabilities, including flares.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for a VA examination to determine if his vertigo is related to his service-connected bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, or if it was aggravated by these conditions.

The Board denied service connection for vertigo, left shoulder disability, right shoulder disability, and right wrist carpal tunnel syndrome as the evidence did not support a finding that these conditions were caused by or aggravated by service-connected disabilities.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to new evidence submitted since the last final denial. However, the claims are still remanded as a VA examination is needed to determine if his current hearing loss and tinnitus are related to in-service noise exposure.

The Board has granted service connection for right ear hearing loss, sudden right ear sensorineural hearing loss, and tinnitus. The case is remanded to determine the nature of the Veteran's labyrinthitis (including vertigo and Meniere’s disease) and left ear hearing loss.

The Board has denied service connection for PTSD due to lack of verified in-service stressors. Service connection for Meniere's disease with vomiting and dizziness is remanded for further development.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate examination and missing medical records, particularly from 2009-2013.

The Veteran's service-connected vertigo is granted, with the Board finding that his current diagnosis of chronic vertigo is related to exposure to contaminants in the water at Camp Lejeune during service.,Service connection for a respiratory disability (to include asthma and COPD), heart disability, hypertension, and bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome are remanded due to lack of medical evidence addressing these claims.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development due to insufficient evidence regarding the nature and etiology of the Veteran's claimed disabilities, particularly those related to service connection.

The Board denied service connection for a hernia disorder, finding no current disability related to the condition. The claim is remanded for further development regarding vertigo and dizziness, OSA as secondary to panic disorder, and GERD.,Service connection for a hernia disorder was denied due to lack of evidence of a current disability during the pendency of the appeal.