Vertigo & vestibular disorders decisions — 2020

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not prevent him from obtaining or maintaining substantially gainful activity prior to November 15, 2011.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings for various knee and leg conditions, as well as for service connection for several other conditions, were dismissed because the Veteran did not file a timely substantive appeal.,The Veteran also had claims to reopen denied, but these are not considered in this decision.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for fatigue, neck disability, dizziness/vertigo, headaches, PTSD, sleep apnea, and acid reflux. The appeals are not about service connection under the presumptive provisions for Gulf War illness.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for vertigo was denied as there is no evidence of a current disability related to his in-service injury.,For the period prior to September 14, 2019, the Veteran's cervical spine disability did not meet the criteria for an evaluation higher than 10 percent.

The Board denied service connection for Meniere's disease as it is not secondary to service-connected hearing loss and tinnitus. The Veteran was granted TDIU on an extraschedular basis due to his PTSD, hearing loss, and tinnitus.

The Board has remanded the cases due to incomplete records and need for further examinations. The Veteran's claims for service connection are not decided at this time.

The Veteran's claim for TDIU prior to September 1, 2018 was denied as he did not meet the criteria for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability. The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for his TBI residuals was also denied.

The Veteran's TBI with headaches and vertigo are granted at a 40 percent rating, effective July 10, 2014. The left knee disorder is denied for an increased rating.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for acne vulgaris, migraine headaches, vertigo, and seizure disability has been granted. The claims for migraine headaches and vertigo are denied as there is no evidence of an in-service injury or disease, and the Board found that the current disabilities are not related to service. The claim for seizure disability was also denied.

The Board has remanded three issues: tinea versicolor, bilateral hearing loss, and vertigo. The Veteran needs additional examinations for these conditions.

The Board denied service connection for vertigo, also characterized as peripheral vestibular disorder and Meniere's syndrome, finding that the condition did not have its onset in service or is not related to any disease, injury, or incident in service or a service-connected disability.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's Meniere's disease is part of the same disease process as his service-connected hearing loss and tinnitus, thus granting service connection for Meniere's disease.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for vertigo, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus due to new evidence received since previous decisions. The claims are now remanded for further development.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased ratings and TDIU due to incomplete medical examinations and insufficient evidence regarding his service-connected conditions.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed for the remaining issues on appeal, including a respiratory disability, dizziness and vertigo, and GERD. The Veteran's claims are remanded to obtain further medical opinions and records.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus. The case is remanded to determine the etiology of the Veteran's vertigo and Meniere's syndrome, including whether it is related to his in-service noise exposure or secondary to his service-connected tinnitus.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and left ear Meniere's syndrome. The conditions are considered to be directly related to his military service due to noise exposure.

The Veteran's initial ratings for headaches and residuals of closed head injury were denied. The Veteran was granted service connection for vertigo as a residual of the service-connected residuals of closed head injury, but with a separate rating.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for VA examinations and audiometric test results, as well as readjudication of the issue.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for Meniere’s disease has been withdrawn, and the case is dismissed.