Vertigo & vestibular disorders decisions — 2022

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for vertigo as secondary to his service-connected hearing loss and/or tinnitus, finding that there is not a medical nexus between the vertigo and these conditions.

The Veteran's service connection claims for various conditions, including back condition, left heel injury, vertigo, sleep apnea, dyslipidemia, erectile dysfunction, prostatic hypertrophy, basal cell carcinoma, and Parkinson's (also claimed as essential tremors), have been denied. The Board found no evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Veteran's dizzy spells, fatigue and malaise, and hypothyroidism were not shown to be related to service or any specific exposure event.,Service connection was denied for all three conditions as they are considered direct service connections.

The Veteran's appeals for higher ratings for his service-connected Posttraumatic Ocular Headaches and Migraine Headaches, BPPV, and TBI were denied. The maximum rating of 50 percent for the headache disorder was not granted from February 22, 2018 onwards. A separate compensable rating for TBI under Diagnostic Code 8045 was also denied.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is remanded due to incomplete information regarding her current employment status and income. The Board requests the Veteran to provide documents verifying her income from 2017 onwards.

The Board has determined that further development is needed for the Veteran's claims of service connection for various conditions, including obesity, neck disability, Meniere's disease, acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD), OSA, low back strain, and COPD. The case is being remanded to obtain additional medical opinions and examinations.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for a new medical opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's dizziness and whether it is related to service-connected conditions or not.

The Board denied service connection for vertigo and dizziness, finding that the Veteran's symptoms are more likely due to orthostatic hypotension rather than being incurred in or aggravated by his military service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and Meniere's disease, finding that there was no clear and unmistakable evidence of pre-existence or aggravation by service. The examiner concluded that the right ear hearing loss and Meniere's disease were not caused by noise exposure in service.,The Board also denied service connection for left ear hearing loss, concluding that the Veteran's left ear hearing loss clearly and unmistakably pre-existed service and was not aggravated by service.

The Veteran's left clavicle condition is not service-connected as it is a developmental defect that was not aggravated in service.,Sinusitis has not been diagnosed, and the Veteran does not have chronic sinusitis.

The Board has granted service connection for fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome, but has remanded the Veteran's claims for headache disability, hypertension, Meniere's syndrome, and acquired psychiatric disability due to lack of supporting evidence in the record.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy and a higher evaluation for lumbar DDD was denied. The Board is remanding these issues.,The Veteran's TDIU claim prior to December 11, 2013 is being referred to the Director of Compensation Service for extraschedular consideration.

The Board denied service connection for a left upper extremity neurological condition (claimed as numbness) due to lack of evidence of current disability. The Veteran's vertigo was granted service connection based on in-service head trauma.,Service connection for the thoracolumbar spine disability is remanded for further examination and determination.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate medical opinions regarding whether the Veteran's BPPV is related to service or secondary to his service-connected bilateral hearing loss. The VA examiner was requested to provide addendum opinions addressing these issues.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for BPPV, Meniere's disease, and a left foot disability due to incomplete records and insufficient medical opinions.

The Veteran's hepatitis A is rated at a 40 percent rating prior to January 22, 2019 and denied for any higher ratings thereafter. The Veteran also has service-connected restless leg syndrome that is secondary to his radiculopathy.,Service connection for Meniere's disease and vertigo are both remanded as the VA examiner did not adequately consider the Veteran's lay statements regarding his symptoms in service and post-service.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient development regarding service connection for the Veteran's ear disability, including intracanalicular acoustic neuroma, right ear hearing loss, and vertigo. The AOJ is instructed to obtain updated VA treatment records, verify the Veteran's exposure to radiation and hazardous materials during service, forward his claim to the VA Under Secretary for Benefits, and schedule an examination to determine if these conditions are related to active service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a vestibular condition, obstructive sleep apnea, and headache condition. The evidence did not support a finding that any of these conditions were incurred or aggravated by service.,There was no direct evidence linking the claimed conditions to service. The VA examiners found no objective medical evidence or literature supporting an association between the Veteran's documented medical history in service and his later development of BPPV, hearing loss, tinnitus, and/or chronic headaches.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for vertigo and TDIU prior to September 17, 2010 due to insufficient opinions from a VA otolaryngologist. The Veteran's vertigo is being evaluated in relation to his service-connected bilateral hearing loss and/or tinnitus.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development due to inadequate addendum opinions regarding service connection and TDIU.