Vertigo & vestibular disorders decisions — 2018

The Veteran is granted a total disability evaluation based on individual unemployability due to service-connected major depressive disorder and headaches. He is also granted special monthly compensation for need of aid and attendance of another person, but not housebound status.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's peripheral vestibular disorder, including Meniere’s syndrome and vestibular migraine, is caused by his service-connected disabilities. As a result, service connection for this condition is granted.

The Board has remanded several issues including service connection for tinnitus, Meniere's Disease, and asthma. The Veteran's claims for higher initial evaluations for peripheral vestibular disorder, allergic rhinitis, and asthma are also pending.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for headaches, an acquired psychiatric disorder, and a higher evaluation for peripheral vestibular disorder. The evidence did not raise a reasonable possibility of substantiating these claims.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claim for service connection for Meniere's Disease should be remanded due to incomplete examination and lack of consideration of all theories of entitlement, including a new theory based on in-service blast exposure.

The Veteran's Meniere's syndrome with tinnitus and left ear hearing loss is rated at 100% effective July 15, 2015. Prior to that date, the condition was rated at 60%. The Board found no evidence of attacks of cerebellar gait more than once weekly prior to July 15, 2015.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's claimed vertigo and sensation of fullness of the ears, including whether it is related to service.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus and remanded the remaining issues due to incomplete records. The Veteran's claims for arthritis, vertigo, hemorrhoids, anemia, psoriasis, and a skin condition are also being remanded.

The Board has determined that additional evidence is needed to adjudicate the claims for service connection for vertigo, acquired psychiatric disorder, and hearing loss. The Veteran's claims will be remanded for further development.

The Veteran's claims for service connection related to Gulf War Syndrome have been granted.,The Veteran's claims for service connection related to other conditions not specifically tied to Gulf War Syndrome remain pending.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities, uncontrollable twitching, vertigo, PTSD, asthma, skin disability, and bilateral knee disabilities are denied as there is no evidence of a current diagnosis or link to exposure at Camp Lejeune.,There was no medical opinion linking any of these conditions to exposure at Camp Lejeune.

This decision denies service connection for vertigo, eye irritation, a left knee disability, shortness of breath, and a disability manifesting in memory loss, fatigue, and numbness of the left leg (claimed as demyelinating disorder and multiple sclerosis). The claims are remanded due to insufficient evidence regarding the etiology of these conditions.

The Board has determined that a VA examination is needed to determine the etiology of the Veteran's vertigo, including Meniere's disease. The examiner will assess whether it is at least as likely as not that the condition is related to service or aggravated by service-connected disabilities.

The Board has denied service connection for bilateral varicose veins, vertigo, left and right elbow disabilities, and radiculopathy of the upper extremities as there is no evidence of these conditions during or within one year after active service. The Veteran's assertions are not supported by medical evidence.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for impotence, vertigo, and lymphedema due to a lack of evidence supporting these conditions. The cases are remanded for further development including VA examinations.

The Board has decided to remand the claims for an acquired psychiatric disorder, vestibular/balance disorder (claimed as dizziness), left knee disorder, and bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy due to outstanding records and need for further examination.

The Board has decided to remand the claims of hypertension, bilateral hearing loss, and vertigo due to the Veteran's failure to report for VA examinations. The reopening of previously denied claims for bilateral hearing loss and vertigo is also remanded.

The appeal seeking service connection for pulmonary tuberculosis, to include as due to agent orange exposure, is dismissed. The claims for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and Meniere's syndrome are remanded.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for benign paroxysmal positional vertigo is being remanded due to non-compliance with previous Board directives.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for vestibular disorder and allergic rhinitis due to insufficient evidence linking these conditions to his military service. The Veteran will need a VA examination to determine if he currently suffers from these conditions and whether they are related to his time in service.