Vertigo & vestibular disorders decisions — 2019

The Veteran's claim of service connection for a chronic ear disability, bilateral hearing loss, vertigo, and tinnitus has been reopened due to the submission of new evidence. The claims are now remanded for further evaluation.

The Board denied the Veteran's attempts to reopen his claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and benign paroxysmal positional vertigo, finding no new and material evidence to support these claims.

The Veteran's pilonidal cyst claim was dismissed due to withdrawal. His low back scar claim was denied as secondary to a service-connected condition. A rating of 30 percent for laceration and surgical correction of the left foot from January 31, 2014 is granted.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the schedular criteria for a TDIU, but his claim may be referred to the Director of Compensation Service for extraschedular consideration due to his inability to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board has remanded the cases of service connection for Meniere's disease and a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss due to insufficient evidence in the record.

The claim for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus has been granted. The issue of service connection for burns on the right side of the face, neck injury, and vertigo is being remanded.,Service connection for tinnitus has been granted. However, further examination is needed to determine if service connection can be established for a neck injury and vertigo.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, migraine headaches, and vertigo as there are outstanding treatment records that need to be obtained and addendum opinions are needed regarding the etiology of these conditions.

The Board denied service connection for orthostatic hypotension, finding that the preponderance of evidence did not support a relationship to service. The cause of death due to bladder cancer is remanded for further review.

The Veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 30 percent for Meniere’s syndrome is granted. The application to reopen the claim of entitlement to service connection for a sleep disorder, to include obstructive sleep apnea, secondary to service-connected PTSD, is granted. The Veteran's claim for a separate compensable rating for residuals of TBI apart from PTSD is remanded.

Service connection is granted for an acquired psychiatric disorder (Posttraumatic Stress Disorder) due to military sexual trauma.,Service connection is granted for GERD, claimed as acid reflux and hiatal hernia.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral cataracts, diabetes mellitus type II, and vertigo as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected hypertension and hypertensive heart disease.

The Veteran's tinnitus is granted service connection. The Board has remanded the cases for neck disorder and vertigo secondary to hearing loss.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings and effective dates for his service-connected tinnitus, but has remanded several other issues including service connection for various conditions. The Veteran is also required to provide authorization for VA to obtain certain medical records.

The Board has dismissed all pending appeals due to the appellant's withdrawal of his claims.

The Board has granted service connection for vertigo as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected tinnitus.

The Board denied service connection for vestibular disability and vertigo as the evidence did not show a current disability, continuity of symptomatology, or etiological relationship to service.

The Veteran's claim for migraines is granted with an effective date of October 19, 2010.,The Veteran's claims for vertigo, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus are granted with a combined effective date of October 19, 2010. The rating assigned is 30 percent for vertigo, 10 percent for tinnitus, and no rating for bilateral hearing loss.,Service connection for PTSD is denied.,The Veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 50 percent for migraines is denied.,TDIU prior to November 10, 2010 is granted with an effective date of October 19, 2010.,Service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder is denied.,Service connection for alcohol abuse is denied.,Service connection for multiple sclerosis is denied.,Service connection for obstructive sleep apnea is denied.,Service connection for Sjogren’s syndrome is denied.,Service connection for Hughes disease is denied.,Service connection for seizures is denied.

The Board denied service connection for PTSD, all other conditions, and effective dates. The Veteran's claims were not granted.

The Veteran's vertigo disability is currently rated at 30 percent, effective March 1, 2011.,The Veteran's left hand middle finger disability has a non-compensable (0%) evaluation throughout the period on appeal.

The Veteran's vertigo associated with TBI is rated at 30 percent, and the issue of entitlement to an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for headaches associated with TBI remains pending.,The Veteran's headaches are currently rated as noncompensable (zero percent disabling) prior to September 21, 2016, and 30 percent thereafter. The issue of entitlement to a compensable evaluation from September 21, 2016 is pending.,The issues of entitlement to evaluations in excess of 10 percent for left ankle sprain and right ankle sprain are remanded.,The issue of entitlement to a compensable evaluation for paresthesia of the left side of the face associated with TBI remains pending.,The issue of entitlement to a compensable evaluation for TBI with post-concussive syndrome and visual impairment is also pending.