Vertigo & vestibular disorders decisions — 2020

The Board has granted service connection for Meniere's disease, which the Veteran claimed as vertigo. The decision finds that the current severity of his service-connected bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus warrants by proximity to the secondary condition (Meniere's disease).

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) due to service-connected disabilities, finding that his education and occupational experience would otherwise qualify him for substantially gainful employment despite his service-connected hearing loss, tinnitus, and vestibular disorder.

The Board has remanded the case for additional medical opinions regarding the Veteran's heart conditions, as well as to address whether any of his service-connected disabilities or medications caused or aggravated these conditions. The claims for benign paroxysmal positional vertigo, chronic kidney disease and chronic renal cysts, left wrist condition, and left hip arthritis remain denied.

The Veteran's claimed conditions, including vertigo, loss of balance, and headaches, were not shown to be related to service or a service-connected disability.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for vertigo and sleep apnea, as well as his increased rating claim for bilateral hearing loss. The claims are being remanded due to conflicting medical evidence and the need for further examination.

The Veteran's service-connected Chiari malformation with headaches, blurred vision, vertigo, and cerebellar ataxia is rated over 30%, but the Board has remanded this issue for additional development to determine the specific manifestations, frequency, severity, and duration of his disability. The appeal for TDIU (total disability rating based on individual unemployability) remains pending.

The Board denied service connection for various conditions including back, migraine headaches, vertigo, PTSD, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, right foot condition, and left foot condition due to lack of current diagnoses.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate examination regarding whether the Veteran's vertigo is caused by or aggravated by his service-connected bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus.

The Board denied service connection for vertigo, chest pain, otitis media and externa, left shoulder disability, right shoulder disability, right knee disability, left knee disability, and bilateral pes planus as the evidence did not establish a causal relationship between these conditions and the Veteran's military service.

The Veteran's prostate cancer and chronic kidney disease are granted as service-connected due to presumed exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune.,The claim for vertigo is remanded, requiring a medical opinion on its relationship to the Veteran's service-connected conditions or environmental exposures.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim for a VA examination to determine if his peripheral vestibular disorder is at least as likely as not caused or aggravated by his service-connected tinnitus.

The Board has remanded the claim for additional development due to new information provided by the Veteran, including medical articles supporting his claims. An independent medical opinion is needed from a non-VA specialist in orthopedics.

The Veteran's service-connected post-concussive headaches, including vertigo, are granted a separate 30 percent rating effective June 17, 2013. The issue of a higher rating for the lumbar spine disability and TDIU prior to June 17, 2013 is remanded.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to the need for further development and examination, including a new VA examination to determine if the Veteran's vestibular migraine disorder is related to his in-service exposure.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for chronic dizziness was granted, with the Board finding that his symptoms had their onset during active service and have persisted since then.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for vertigo was denied as there is no evidence of a current disability and the examiner indicated that the symptoms were not vestibular in nature.,The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for bilateral hearing loss was also denied, with the Board finding that his hearing loss did not meet the criteria for a compensable rating.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date of October 6, 2014 for SMC based on need for regular aid and attendance was granted. This aligns with the date he received service connection for seizures.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a disability manifested by concussion and peripheral vestibular disorder (claimed as vertigo) have been denied. The Board found that the Veteran does not have current diagnoses of these conditions.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for IBS, thyroid disability, left knee disability, right knee disability, and vertigo due to new and material evidence. The claims are now remanded for further development.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim of service connection for vertigo, dizziness, Meniere’s disease, peripheral vestibular disorder, and chronic suppurative otitis media as they are not related to his military service.