Vertigo & vestibular disorders decisions — 2022

The Veteran's appeal for a higher rating for tinnitus has been dismissed. The Board has also remanded cases involving his vertigo and/or Meniere's disease, low back disability, right ear hearing loss, and left ear hearing loss.

The Board has determined that the VA examinations provided were not adequate and remands the cases for additional opinions to address the etiology of the Veteran's headaches and vertigo.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for vertigo, finding that it was not incurred in or aggravated by service and is not proximately due to, aggravated by, or the result of a service-connected disability.

The Board has decided to remand the cases for additional development, including obtaining treatment records and scheduling a VA examination to address the etiology of the Veteran's claimed vertigo disability.

The Board has remanded the claims for traumatic brain injury, migraine headaches, and vertigo due to inconsistencies in the evidence and need for a medical review.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including bilateral hearing loss and vestibular neuronitis, do not meet the criteria for a TDIU from July 26, 2017.

The Veteran is granted entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's vertigo, characterized by dizziness and occasional staggering, is granted an initial rating of 30 percent throughout the period on appeal.

The Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea, hemorrhoids, and vertigo are all granted as service-connected.,Otitis media and a bilateral eye disorder (likely related to vertigo) remain in dispute and need further examination.

The Board has dismissed all service connection claims due to the Veteran's death.

The Veteran's claim for special monthly compensation (SMC) based on the need for aid and attendance or housebound status is being remanded due to inadequate medical evidence provided in support of his claims.

The Board has determined that further development is needed for the Veteran's claims regarding TBI residuals, obstructive sleep apnea, and Meniere's syndrome. The remand includes obtaining retrospective medical opinions from an ENT specialist to determine if the Veteran qualified for a diagnosis of Meniere's syndrome prior to April 15, 2021, and whether it is related to his TBI. Additionally, new VA medical opinions are needed regarding the etiology of the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities necessitate the need for aid and attendance of another person, resulting in a grant of special monthly compensation based on this need.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have rendered him unemployable as of September 13, 2015. The Board has granted TDIU.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for a peripheral vestibular disorder and entitlement to TDIU due to insufficient evidence in the record, including lack of medical opinions linking his current conditions to service.

The Board has decided that the case needs further examination to determine if the Veteran's peripheral vertigo is caused by any service-connected disability, including medications used for treatment.

The Board has remanded the cases for additional examinations and opinions to determine if hearing loss, tinnitus, and vertigo are related to service or service-connected conditions.

The Board has remanded the case for a new examination by a qualified specialist to determine the severity of all residuals of the Veteran's TBI and whether his PTSD symptoms overlap with or are distinct from his TBI symptoms. The matter remains on appeal as it pertains to service connection.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's Meniere's disease, finding that his symptoms were aggravated during his active duty in January to August 2003 when he was deployed to Qatar.

The Board has remanded the claim for benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) to include as secondary to bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, eustachian tube dysfunction (ETD), and chronic nonsuppurative otitis media due to a Joint Motion for Partial Remand (JMPR). The JMPR requires a new VA examination and medical opinion regarding the relationship of BPPV to service-connected conditions.