Vertigo & vestibular disorders decisions — 2019

The Veteran's appeal of service connection for PTSD was dismissed due to his withdrawal. Service connection was granted for tinnitus, left ear hearing loss with Meniere’s disease, and right ear hearing loss with Meniere’s disease.

The Veteran's peripheral vestibular disorder is currently rated at 30 percent. The Board has decided to remand the case for further evaluation due to conflicting medical opinions and new evidence.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's peripheral vertigo may be related to his service-connected bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, but needs further clarification. The case is sent back for a more detailed opinion.

The Board has granted service connection for a peripheral vestibular disorder, including Meniere's disease and labyrinthitis, based on the Veteran's credible testimony of symptom onset during basic training.

The Veteran's appeal for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities is remanded for further development. The issues of service connection for degenerative disc disease and muscle spasms of the cervical spine are no longer before the Board.

The Board has dismissed the issues of service connection for a lung disability, ulcerative colitis, and erectile dysfunction. The remaining issues have been remanded: service connection for vertigo, TMJ and lockjaw (secondary to anxiety disorder), an initial rating higher than 30 percent for an anxiety disorder, and service connection for testicular pain.

The Board has remanded the case to the Director of Compensation Service for consideration of a TDIU on an extraschedular basis, including evidence of severe headaches and dizziness related to sinusitis with headaches. The Veteran's attorney submitted medical records and lay statements supporting these claims.

The Veteran's vertigo was granted service connection, while a rating greater than 10 percent for bilateral hearing loss was denied.

The Veteran's claims for peripheral neuropathy of the right and left lower extremities, dizziness, vertigo, loss of balance and falling, groin pain secondary to pes cavus, fracture to the left foot, ankle, and fibula, and residuals of a head injury have all been denied as there is no evidence that these conditions began during service or are related to any service-connected disability.,Service connection was not granted because the Veteran did not present sufficient medical evidence to establish a nexus between his current disabilities and his military service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations and evaluations. The issues include psychiatric disorders, right hand disorder, left hand disorder, fainting disorder, stomach disorder, vertigo, sleep disorder, skin disorder, and renal cysts.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for left ear hearing loss, right ear hearing loss, vertigo, and a right lower extremity disability due to potential new evidence of worsening symptoms since the last VA examination.

The Veteran's asthma is granted service connection. The claims for PTSD, lumbar spine strain with degenerative disc disease, TBI, migraine headaches, vertigo, and bilateral hearing loss are remanded for further development.

The Board has granted service connection for cervical spine degenerative spondylosis and vertigo, including as secondary to the cervical spine. The Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss is not shown to have had its onset during service or be related to his military service.

The Veteran's tinnitus is not related to his service and was denied.,The Veteran's chronic labyrinthitis in the right ear (claimed as vertigo) is not related to his service and was denied.,The Veteran's erectile dysfunction disability does not warrant a compensable rating and was denied.,The Veteran's service-connected disabilities preclude him from securing substantially gainful employment and TDIU was granted.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim of service connection for vertigo, finding that new and material evidence was received to reopen the previously denied claim. The Veteran's vertigo is found to be related to his in-service right ear injury with a perforated eardrum.

The Board has decided to remand the claims for service connection due to deficiencies in the medical opinions provided. The Veteran's headaches, syncope of unknown etiology (claimed as vertigo), and prostatitis are all being reviewed further.

The Veteran's Meniere’s Syndrome is granted a separate 30 percent rating for vertigo, but denied an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for tinnitus.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to potential exposure to asbestos and herbicide agents while serving on the U.S.S. Puget Sound.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for various conditions due to insufficient evidence or procedural deficiencies. The Veteran's claims are related to his existing service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings and earlier effective dates have been dismissed due to his withdrawal of the appeals. The Board has also remanded several issues for further examination.