Vertigo & vestibular disorders decisions — 2021

The Board has remanded the cases of service connection for vertigo and migraines due to insufficient evidence. The Veteran's current conditions are being evaluated further.

The Board has remanded the case due to issues related to service connection for various symptoms, including dementia, vertigo, migraine headaches, and bodily pain. The Veteran's non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma residuals are also being evaluated.

The Board has reopened the claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and Meniere’s Syndrome, finding that new and material evidence supports these claims. The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder is found to be at least as likely as not related to service. However, the Board denied service connection for Meniere’s Syndrome due to clear and unmistakable evidence showing it pre-existed service and was not aggravated by service.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for eustachian tube dysfunction (ETD) and chronic nonsuppurative otitis media. The Veteran's private DBQs indicate a diagnosis of ETD, which was officially diagnosed in 2006. The VA examiner opined that this condition is less likely than not incurred in or caused by service.

The Veteran's right frontal meningioma, status post resection with bowel dysfunction, urinary dysfunction and vestibular disorder was not caused by VA carelessness, negligence, or similar instance of fault. The Board denied compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151.

The Board dismissed the Veteran's appeals for a higher rating for lumbosacral strain with degenerative arthritis and for service connection for vertigo, to include as secondary to peripheral vestibular disorder due to the Veteran's request for withdrawal of all issues on appeal.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection and disability rating for vertigo and traumatic brain injury with tension headaches has been dismissed due to the death of the Veteran.

The Veteran's claims for vertigo, PTSD, and diabetes were previously denied. New evidence was submitted that relates to unestablished facts necessary to substantiate these claims. The claim of service connection for PTSD is reopened due to new evidence, while the claims for vertigo and diabetes remain denied.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection and TDIU due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's vertigo. The VA examiner is asked to address whether the vertigo originated during service, was caused by service-connected conditions (hearing loss and tinnitus), or if it was aggravated by these conditions.

The Veteran's vertigo and acquired psychiatric disorder are not service-connected.,Service connection for the thoracic spine disability is denied as there is no evidence of a current disability related to service.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings on multiple conditions have been dismissed due to the Veteran withdrawing his appeals.,The Veteran’s bilateral pes planus has not met the criteria for a higher rating prior to February 28, 2019.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for vertigo, acid reflux, right knee disability, and left knee disability due to inadequate addendum opinions from previous VA examinations.

The Veteran's dizziness, claimed as Meniere's disease, is granted service connection.,His hypertension, including as secondary to his service-connected anxiety and chronic pain from a pilonidal cyst scar, is also granted service connection.

The Board denied service connection for tinea on the back, acne vulgaris, a respiratory disability (COPD), sinusitis, and vertigo as there is no current evidence of these conditions during or close to the appeal period.,Service records show treatment for various respiratory issues in service but no diagnosis of COPD. The Veteran's current COPD is attributed to tobacco use.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for eustachian tube dysfunction, claimed as vertigo, is dismissed. The Board found that the issue was already resolved in a previous rating decision and no longer remains in controversy.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, vertigo, and BPH have been denied. The Board found no evidence of a balance disorder or prostate condition during active duty, and the conditions were not shown to be related to service or herbicide exposure.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not preclude her from securing and following any substantially gainful employment prior to January 13, 2018.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection on the issues of appendix removal, gall bladder removal, vision disorder, body sweats, hearing loss, Meniere’s disease, tinnitus, colon cancer (also claimed as partial colon/intestinal removal), testicular cancer and removal, Barrett's esophagus, right foot peripheral neuropathy, left foot peripheral neuropathy, right hand peripheral neuropathy, left hand peripheral neuropathy, chronic fatigue syndrome, right knee disability, left knee disability, hepatitis C, malaise, neck surgery broken vertebra, sleep apnea, irritable bowel syndrome, subcutaneous cell carcinoma, and an acquired psychiatric disorder have been withdrawn. The remaining issues of service connection for hearing loss, Meniere’s disease, and tinnitus are REMANDED.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and examination to determine if the Veteran's current bilateral ear hearing loss disability warrants a higher initial rating, and whether his dizziness and balance issues are related to service-connected disabilities.

The Board has remanded several issues for further development and evaluation.,No new rating assigned as the maximum schedular ratings were not assigned for the entire period on appeal.