Vertigo & vestibular disorders decisions — 2022

The Veteran's appeals for service connection for various conditions have been dismissed.,Service connection has been reopened for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus.

The Board has decided that the VA examination was insufficient to determine if the Veteran's left ear conditions, including effluent discharge and cerumen buildup, are related to his service-connected left ear drum rupture. The case is being remanded for a new examination.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for recurring sinusitis, recurring right ear infections, and vertigo due to incomplete medical records and need for additional clinical opinions.

The Veteran's cervical spine, right shoulder, left shoulder, right knee, left knee, and vertigo disabilities are granted as service-connected.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities have prevented him from engaging in substantially gainful employment since June 1, 2005. Therefore, TDIU on an extraschedular basis is granted from this date.

The Veteran's appeals for GERD, TBI, peripheral vestibular disorder, and dermatographic urticaria were dismissed. Service connection was granted for right leg amputation and residuals of a mandible fracture as secondary to service-connected PTSD with major depressive disorder.

The Veteran's vertigo, back disability, and bilateral hearing loss are being remanded for further examination and evaluation. The TDIU claim is also being remanded.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection for sexual dysfunction and granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, alcohol and substance abuse, bilateral pes planus, migraine headaches, cataracts, vertigo, and glaucoma. The claims for left ankle/foot disorders other than pes planus, right knee injuries, and left knee injuries are denied.

The Veteran's vertigo is granted a maximum 30% rating since March 9, 2011. The claim for service connection for memory loss is remanded.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection, TDIU, and special monthly compensation based on housebound status due to incomplete development. The Veteran's benign paroxysmal positional vertigo is being reviewed again with a new medical opinion considering all relevant factors.

The Board has granted service connection for headaches but remanded the issue of service connection for vertigo due to incomplete records and inadequate examination.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate medical opinion regarding the nature and severity of the Veteran's post-concussive syndrome prior to June 20, 2016. The VA examiner was unable to provide a retrospective opinion without resorting to speculation.

The Board has remanded the claims for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, carpal tunnel syndrome of the right upper extremity, migraines, vertigo or other balance disorder, and hypertension due to issues with evidence development and examination requirements.

The Board denied service connection for vertigo, finding that the evidence did not support a nexus to service or a service-connected disability.

The Veteran's appeal for a higher disability rating for his service-connected Meniere's disease is being remanded due to the need for a new VA examination to assess the current severity of his condition, specifically whether he has a cerebellar gait during attacks of vertigo.

The Board has referred the issue of service connection for stroke residuals as secondary to generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) to the AOJ for adjudication. The TDIU claim is also remanded due to its inextricability with the service connection issue.

The Veteran's vertigo is caused by his service-connected bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, and the Board has granted service connection for this condition.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete medical records and inadequate opinions regarding the nature and etiology of the Veteran's claimed balance condition. The AOJ is required to obtain additional medical records, including from Dr. Sheffield and Augusta VAMC, and seek an advisory opinion from an independent medical expert.

The Board denied an initial rating higher than 60 percent for Meniere's disease with peripheral vestibular disorder, finding the Veteran's assertions regarding the frequency of his symptoms to be less credible.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for headaches, blurry vision, vertigo, a low back disability, and left lower extremity radiculopathy due to lack of substantial compliance with prior remand directives regarding verification of alleged exposure to hazardous chemicals during service.