Vertigo & vestibular disorders decisions — 2021

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for vertigo, bilateral pes planus, and bilateral bone spurs. The decision found that the Veteran's BPPV is not caused by or aggravated by his service-connected disabilities, and that his bilateral pes planus did not worsen beyond its natural progression in service.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disability, diagnosed as generalized anxiety disorder, vertigo, asthma, and lumbar strain are all found to be related to service. Service connection is granted for each condition.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus have been granted.,Service connection has also been denied for intermittent vertigo (claimed as dizziness balancing issues).

The Board has found the most recent VA medical opinion inadequate and has requested a new independent medical expert (IME) to provide an adequate opinion regarding whether the Veteran's right vestibular dysfunction was caused by or made worse by VA carelessness, negligence, lack of proper skill during his July 8, 2011 hospital visit and antibiotic treatment from November 23, 2011 to December 1, 2011.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, depressive disorder, anxiety disorder NOS, and unspecified mild neurocognitive disorder, as well as for vertigo secondary to service-connected bilateral hearing loss and/or tinnitus are all denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a finding of an in-service onset or relationship to service.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate examination and opinion regarding the Veteran's claimed vertigo and chronic motion sickness.

The claim of service connection for Meniere's disease is reopened and the appeal is granted. The issue of service connection for Meniere's disease related to service-connected bilateral hearing loss and/or tinnitus is remanded.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a scar on the back of his head, left arm weakness, and headaches have been granted. The claim for Meniere's disease has been denied.,Service connection is established for a laceration scar on the back of the Veteran's head.

The Veteran's Meniere's Syndrome is rated at 30 percent from March 21, 2012 to June 25, 2014. From June 25, 2014 onward, the rating is changed to a combination of ratings under DCs 6204 (for dizziness), 6100 (for hearing loss), and 6260 (for tinnitus).

The Veteran's claims for a rating in excess of 20 percent for bilateral hearing loss and TDIU have been withdrawn. The claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder has been granted, but the claim for heart murmur remains denied. The Board finds it necessary to recharacterize the issue of sleep apnea as a claim for insomnia due to military service. The Veteran's claims for vertigo/dizziness and sleep disorder are remanded for further examination.

The Board has granted service connection for PTSD, but the cases of bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and dizziness/giddiness are remanded due to inadequate medical opinions.

The Veteran's vertigo and right ankle tendonitis have been granted service connection, while the remaining issues are remanded. The Veteran was awarded a 30% disability rating for his right ankle tendonitis.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional VA treatment records and medical opinions. The issues include psychiatric conditions, gastroenteritis, hepatitis B and C, hypertension, erectile dysfunction, tinnitus, benign paroxysmal positional vertigo, bilateral hearing loss, and a right wrist disability.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient compliance with prior remand directives and a need for further examination.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and vertigo, as the VA examinations did not adequately consider the Veteran's credible lay statements regarding his symptoms.

The Veteran's service-connected migraines and BPPV have rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment, warranting a TDIU for the period from November 20, 2015. The issue of an increased rating for BPPV is remanded due to marked interference with employment.

The Veteran's claim of service connection for a rib disability has been remanded due to the submission of new and relevant evidence. The issue of increased rating for Meniere's syndrome remains pending.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is granted as service-connected.,An effective date of May 23, 2007 for the grant of service connection for vestibular neuritis is granted.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for a non-organic sleep disorder is dismissed.,Issues of service connection for allergic rhinitis, OSA, TBI, headaches, Meniere's disease, bilateral plantar fasciitis (to include as secondary to service-connected lumbar spine disability), and erectile dysfunction (to include as secondary to service-connected hypertension) are remanded.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for a clarifying addendum medical opinion regarding whether the Veteran's loss of balance and/or vertigo is caused or aggravated by his service-connected tinnitus and hearing loss.