Vertigo & vestibular disorders decisions — 2020

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for vertigo, finding that there was no evidence to support a direct relationship between his current condition and his military service.

The claim for service connection for vertigo is reopened and remanded. The claim for a rating in excess of 30 for anxiety disorder (PTSD) is also remanded.

The Board has granted an increased rating of 30 percent for the Veteran's vertigo, finding that his symptoms of dizziness and occasional staggering meet the criteria under Diagnostic Code 6204.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him in need of regular aid and attendance, warranting special monthly compensation based on aid and attendance.

The Board denied service connection for a vestibular condition, including vertigo, benign positional vertigo, orthostatic hypotension, and/or acute labyrinthitis, finding that the Veteran's symptoms did not manifest to a compensable degree within the applicable presumptive period or were not chronic in service.

The Board denied an initial compensable rating for hearing loss and found that the Veteran's hearing loss does not present such an exceptional disability picture that it renders the rating schedule inadequate. The claim for extraschedular evaluation for hearing loss is therefore denied.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus, type II, was not incurred as a result of active duty service and is not shown to be causally or etiologically related to an in-service event, injury, or disease.,The preponderance of the evidence shows that the Veteran’s peripheral neuropathy was not manifest during active service and is not shown to be causally or etiologically related to an in-service event, injury, or disease.,The preponderance of the evidence shows that the Veteran's erectile dysfunction was not manifest during active service and is not shown to be causally or etiologically related to an in-service event, injury, or disease.,The preponderance of the evidence shows that the Veteran’s eye disability was not manifest during active service and is not shown to be causally or etiologically related to an in-service event, injury, or disease.,The preponderance of the evidence shows that the Veteran's arthritis of the shoulders, back, hips and feet was not manifest during active service and is not shown to be causally or etiologically related to an in-service event, injury, or disease.,The preponderance of the evidence shows that the Veteran’s vertigo was not manifest during active service and is not shown to be causally or etiologically related to an in-service event, injury, or disease.,The preponderance of the evidence shows that the Veteran's pancreatic cancer was not manifest during active service and is not shown to be causally or etiologically related to an in-service event, injury, or disease.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for Meniere's syndrome is granted, effective February 29, 2012. The disability is rated at 60 percent.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a vestibular disorder, finding that there is no evidence of an in-service disease or injury and insufficient continuity of symptomatology to establish a current disability. The Board also found that the Veteran's current condition was not caused by his service-connected bilateral hearing loss and/or tinnitus.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for vertigo, hypertension, anxiety, and depression due to incomplete development of records and inadequate medical opinions. The Veteran's vertigo claim is also being reviewed.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for vertigo, finding no relationship between the condition and active service. The decision also found that there is no evidence of a direct link to the service-connected left ear hearing loss or tinnitus.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's service connection claim for vertigo should be remanded due to insufficient nexus opinion regarding direct service connection.

The Board has granted service connection for Sjogren's syndrome, Meniere's disease, and Bell's palsy due to exposure from contaminated water at Camp Lejeune. The Veteran's conditions are considered a direct result of his military service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection, finding that her conditions did not warrant higher ratings based on the evidence of record.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss, vertigo, and GERD due to conflicting evidence regarding the severity of his hearing loss prior to 1999, and insufficient consideration of whether he would have reported it during service. The issues are being remanded for further clarification and additional medical opinions.

The Board has granted the Veteran's request to reopen her claim for service connection for right knee disorder and remanded other issues related to GERD, lower gastrointestinal disorder, and peripheral vestibular disorder. The claims are now pending further examination and opinion.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim for an increased disability rating for residuals of traumatic brain injury (TBI) to consider whether referral for consideration of an extraschedular rating is necessary.

The Board has dismissed all appeals for service connection for various conditions, including vertigo, back disability, status-post open reduction internal fixation of right hip and femur fracture, chronic headaches, cerebrovascular accident (CVA), acquired psychiatric disorder, eye disability, and skin disability, all claimed as secondary to falls caused by service-connected right knee and ankle arthritis.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not result in a loss or loss of use other than an upper extremity, and he is not service-connected for a severe burn injury or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. The Board finds that the Veteran does not meet the criteria for eligibility for specially adapted housing or special home adaptation.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient reasons and bases for determining that the Veteran's BPPV had worsened in severity, while also not mentioning an examiner's notation of falls resulting from his imbalance.