Vertigo & vestibular disorders decisions — 2020

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient medical opinions and incomplete evidentiary development.

The Veteran's dizziness is being remanded for a more detailed examination to determine if it is related to his service-connected tinnitus.

The Veteran's sinusitis was not found to meet the criteria for a compensable rating.,Service connection for left knee and right knee disabilities were denied as there is no evidence of in-service injury or disease.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for headaches, vestibular disorder, splenomegaly, and heart disability have been denied as there is no evidence that these conditions are related to his service-connected Lyme disease.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including headaches, vertigo, nose bleeds, chronic fatigue syndrome, left elbow joint pain, left knee joint pain, a heart condition, and gastrointestinal disability. The issues are being remanded due to incomplete records and the need for an addendum opinion regarding whether the Veteran has a qualified chronic disability as defined under 38 C.F.R. § 3.317.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and earlier effective dates for his service-connected conditions have been denied.,Specifically, the Veteran's claim for a higher rating for degenerative disc disease and disc bulge of the lumbar spine has not met the criteria for such an increase.,His claim for right lower extremity radiculopathy was also denied as it did not meet the required criteria for a higher rating.,The left lower extremity radiculopathy claim was similarly denied, with no higher rating being warranted.,Finally, his claim for vertigo was denied, and an earlier effective date prior to December 26, 2006, was also denied.

The Board has granted a TDIU rating, finding that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is remanded as the RO failed to submit a referral for extraschedular consideration. The case will be referred to the Director of Compensation Service for such consideration.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence in previous examinations and opinions.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for a back disability, bilateral foot condition (excluding plantar tendonitis and hammer toe deformity), vertigo (including BPPV), and fatigue due to potential new evidence or clarification of medical opinions.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development due to incomplete opinions and need for further medical inquiry.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to the need for a medical opinion regarding the etiology, onset, and relation of the Veteran's Meniere’s syndrome to any injury or exposure in service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for a current examination and additional opinions to determine if his Meniere’s syndrome is related to his TBI, and whether he should be granted service connection for both conditions. The rating for Meniere’s syndrome remains pending.

The Veteran's claim of entitlement to special monthly pension (SMP) was denied because he failed to provide the necessary information and forms requested by VA, leading to his abandonment of the claim.

The Veteran's claim to reopen his service connection for a head injury, including TBI and its residuals such as vertigo, memory loss, migraines, and light sensitivity, is remanded due to the need for additional private medical records.

The Veteran's appeals for various conditions and ratings have been dismissed due to the withdrawal of all issues by his authorized representative.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional development regarding the Veteran's claims of service connection for TBI, headaches, and vertigo. The issues include determining whether a TBI occurred during service, whether the current conditions are related to an in-service injury, event, or disease, and whether there is sufficient evidence to support these claims.

The Veteran's tinnitus was granted service connection. The issues of bilateral hearing loss and Meniere’s disease are remanded for further development.

The Board has remanded the claims for a compensable rating for TBI residuals and for TDIU due to service-connected disabilities. Additional evidence is needed, including updated medical records and a protocol TBI examination.

The Veteran's vertigo is granted a 10 percent disability rating prior to June 11, 2019 and denied an increased rating in excess of 10 percent from that date.