Vertigo & vestibular disorders decisions — 2020

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unable to obtain or maintain substantially gainful employment, and the Board has granted his claim for TDIU from July 16, 2009.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss disability, cervical spine disability, and dizziness/peripheral vestibular disorder due to incomplete medical opinions and outstanding records.

The Board has remanded the issues of entitlement to service connection for Meniere’s disease and a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss. The issue of rating for appendectomy scar and drain site scar is also being remanded.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's claims, including service connection for various disabilities and whether new and material evidence has been received to reopen a claim for left ankle disability. The issues include right ankle disability, left ear hearing loss, tinnitus, an acquired psychiatric disorder, and vertigo.

The Veteran's headaches are granted as service-connected.,The Veteran's tinnitus is denied a rating in excess of 10 percent.

The appeal for service connection for headaches has been dismissed.,The appeal for service connection for Meniere’s disease has been dismissed.,Service connection for an upper respiratory disorder, diagnosed as chronic rhinosinusitis, is granted.

The Board has found that additional evidence was submitted and remanded the cases for further review. The issues of service connection have been returned to the AOJ for consideration.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for vertigo, headache disorder, and an acquired psychiatric disorder due to inadequate VA medical examination reports. New VA opinions are needed to adjudicate these claims.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for benign paroxysmal positional vertigo, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus. The evidence does not support a finding that these conditions are related to service.

The Board has remanded the case due to an inadequate opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's vertigo. The claim will be reviewed with a new VA examiner who must provide a rationale for their findings.

The Veteran's tinnitus is granted as service connected.,The Veteran's OSA is granted as secondary to his obesity, which was caused by his service-connected diabetes mellitus.

The Veteran's cervical spine disability and PTSD were denied service connection due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to his military service.,Service connection for vertigo was also denied as there is no current diagnosis or evidence of a vertigo disability.

The Board has granted service connection for vertigo and denied the claim for an initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss, to include extraschedular consideration.

The Veteran's Meniere’s disease is granted as service connected, and the case is remanded for a new rating examination for bilateral hearing loss.

The Board has granted service connection for a vestibular disability, but the issues of service connection for diabetes mellitus type II, glaucoma, bilateral lower extremity disability, and prostate cancer remain remanded due to lack of verification of herbicide agent exposure.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss and Meniere’s disease due to additional development being needed, including obtaining medical opinions.

The Board dismissed the issue of service connection for right lower extremity sciatic radiculopathy due to a full grant of benefits. The increased rating claims were denied, and the reduction of disability rating from August 3, 2017 to June 5, 2019 was found to be void ab initio.

Service connection for bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy was granted in a December 2019 rating decision and is therefore dismissed.,New and material evidence has not been received to reopen claims of service connection for rhinitis, hypertension, or bilateral hip disability.,Service connection for a brain disability, neck disability, and ED have not been established due to lack of in-service incurrence or aggravation.,Service connection for vertigo/syncope is remanded as no examination has been conducted.,Service connection for diabetes is remanded as deck logs are needed to determine potential exposure to herbicide agents.,Service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder is remanded due to the need for a VA examination.

The Veteran's claims of service connection for vertigo, sleep apnea, erectile dysfunction, and a left wrist disorder were denied as there is no evidence of current disabilities.,Service connection for bilateral hearing loss was also denied due to the lack of a disability under VA guidelines.

The Veteran's appeal for increased disability ratings and TDIU was denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a rating in excess of 30 percent for left foot plantar fasciitis, and also determined that the Veteran was not unemployable due to his service-connected disabilities.