Vertigo & vestibular disorders decisions — 2019

The Veteran's appeal for service connection on multiple conditions has been remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions and examinations.

The Veteran's vertigo, scars of the left knee and wrist/arm, CFS, bilateral shin disabilities, frostbite residuals, and Meniere’s disease are not related to his military service.,The Veteran has been diagnosed with these conditions since separation from service but there is no evidence linking them to his time in active duty.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to missing service records. The Veteran is seeking service connection for various conditions, including degenerative arthritis, a lumbar spine disorder, an eye disorder, vertigo, and restless leg syndrome.

The Veteran is seeking effective dates for various disability evaluations and SMC based on claims of CUE in specific rating decisions. The issues have been remanded to clarify the contentions and recount the former criteria used at the time of these decisions.

The Board has determined that the effective dates for several awards and evaluations need to be reconsidered, as well as the evaluation of craniotomy post auricular with bone loss associated with residuals of status post translabyrinthitis resection. The other issues are being remanded due to their interrelated nature.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been denied for right ear hearing loss disability, chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), and bilateral foot condition. The Veteran's claims for tinnitus, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) are granted. The Veteran's claims for vertigo, hypertension, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), nephrolithiasis, and erectile dysfunction are remanded.

The Board has remanded the case due to conflicting evidence regarding whether the Veteran has vertigo or peripheral vestibular disorder, and because of a need for an additional VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of any diagnosed condition.

The Board has remanded the case due to the submission of new evidence and the need for a VA examination to determine the etiology of any inner ear disorder, excluding bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus. The examiner must provide opinions regarding whether each inner ear diagnosis is related to service or service-connected conditions.

The Board has granted service connection for Meniere's Syndrome, finding that the Veteran's current condition is related to his military service.

The Board has granted service connection for both stroke and vertigo, finding that these conditions are secondary to the Veteran's service-connected diabetes mellitus.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection on all issues except bilateral foot and toenail fungus is dismissed. The remaining issues are remanded for further development.

The Board denied service connection for sleep apnea and Meniere’s disease, finding that the evidence did not support a link to service or service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension was denied and not reopened, resulting in a denial of the appeal.,Service connection for vertigo has been granted as it is secondary to service-connected migraine headaches.,Obesity was found not to be a disease or injury for VA compensation purposes, thus denying the claim for obesity.,Encephalomalacia was denied due to lack of evidence showing current disability related to in-service head trauma.,The Veteran's erectile dysfunction claim remains denied as there is no evidence of a penile deformity.,Service connection for obstructive sleep apnea and gastrointestinal disorders are pending, requiring further examination and opinion.,Other issues remain unresolved.

The appellant is not entitled to an increased rate of DIC benefits as the Veteran had a total disability rating for less than eight years immediately preceding his death.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for Meniere’s disease was denied as there is no evidence of its occurrence during service.,Service connection and compensation for degenerative arthritis of spine, radiculopathy of right lower extremity, bilateral hearing loss, and chronic sinus disability were remanded due to insufficient evidence or procedural issues.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for Meniere’s disease was denied as there is no evidence of its occurrence during service.,Service connection and compensation for degenerative arthritis of spine, radiculopathy of right lower extremity, bilateral hearing loss, and chronic sinus disability were remanded due to insufficient evidence or procedural issues.

The Veteran's appeal for a higher rating for his peripheral vestibular disorder was dismissed due to his death while the appeal was pending.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for further development due to insufficient evidence regarding the etiology of his disabilities, particularly those related to service. The claims are being returned to the RO for additional examination and opinion.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for vertigo and depression/anxiety disorder have been remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and peripheral vestibular disorder (vertigo) are all found to be related to his active duty service. The Board granted the claims for these conditions.