Vertigo & vestibular disorders decisions — 2023

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for Meniere's disease, joint pain, and memory loss due to Gulf War exposures. The Veteran is seeking service connection for these conditions, which he contends are related to his military service in the Persian Gulf region.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection for left and right carpal tunnel syndrome should be remanded due to a failure to reschedule her for a VA examination. The Veteran is not entitled to an increased rating for her service-connected vertigo, as her symptoms do not meet the criteria for a higher rating under Diagnostic Code 6204 or Diagnostic Code 6205.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to an inadequate VA examination, and a new examination is needed to determine if the Veteran's vertigo condition is related to service or secondary to his service-connected tinnitus.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for service connection for vertigo is denied. The current effective date of September 17, 2013, was assigned based on the informal claim submitted by the Veteran.,The Veteran's appeal for a higher rating for his vertigo is also denied. His symptoms are primarily dizziness and problems using stairs, which more closely approximate the criteria for a 10 percent disability rating under Diagnostic Code (DC) 6204.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been denied. The Board has remanded several issues, including those related to bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, as well as some of the disability evaluations.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection on multiple conditions has been dismissed due to the appellant's withdrawal of the appeal.

The Board has granted service connection for Multiple Sclerosis and BPPV as secondary to Multiple Sclerosis, finding that the Veteran's symptoms are related to his Gulf War service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's appeal involves issues related to his bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and vertigo. The case is being remanded for further development including obtaining updated medical records and scheduling a VA examination to assess the current severity of his service-connected disabilities and their impact on his ability to work.

The Veteran's claims for effective dates prior to October 26, 2021 are remanded due to the unclear establishment of when the date entitlement arose and a need for clarification.,The Veteran's claims for initial disability ratings in excess of 30 percent for binocular diplopia with strabismus and an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for ocular vertigo associated with binocular diplopia are remanded due to the pre-decisional duty to assist error.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including depressive disorder, migraine headaches, tachycardia with chest pain, left heel disability, right foot disability, vertigo, TBI, and hiatal hernia, render her incapable of securing or following a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including anxiety disorder, right shoulder degenerative joint disease, cervical spine degenerative disc disease, lumbar spinal degenerative disc disease, vertigo associated with mild TBI, and shin splints status post stress fracture, have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation for the entire appeal period.

The Veteran's left ear hearing loss is granted as service-connected, while his right ear hearing loss remains denied.,Compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 for complications resulting from dental surgery is remanded due to incomplete records and need for a VA examination.,Service connection for stroke residuals secondary to dental surgery and/or TBI is remanded as the evidence is insufficient to determine causation.,Service connection for ataxia secondary to TBI and/or stroke residuals is remanded due to insufficient medical opinion regarding its relationship to service-connected conditions.,Service connection for vertigo secondary to dental surgery and/or TBI is remanded because of incomplete records and need for a VA examination.,Service connection for bilateral eye condition secondary to TBI is remanded as the evidence is insufficient to determine causation.

The Veteran's appeal for special monthly compensation based on housebound status has been withdrawn. The Board also remanded the cases of PTSD with traumatic brain injury and Meniere's disease, requesting new VA examinations to assess current severity.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension and vertigo, finding that there was insufficient evidence to establish a link between his current conditions and his active-duty service. The Board noted that while the Veteran served in Vietnam, he did not have any diagnosed cases of either condition during service or within one year post-service. Additionally, there is no medical evidence linking the Veteran's current vertigo to his exposure to herbicide agents.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for right ear hearing loss and vertigo (dizzy spells) have been denied as there is no current disability of these conditions. The Board found that the evidence did not support a diagnosis of either condition.

The Board has dismissed appeals for higher ratings in several conditions, including PTSD, left foot disability, right foot disability, and service connection for knee and ankle disabilities. The appeal of the claim for vertigo is remanded due to a lack of an examination prior to decision.

The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 30 percent for migraine including migraine variants was denied. The Veteran's vertigo condition, however, was granted service connection.,Service connection for the heart condition and loss of consciousness were both denied.

The Veteran's service connection claim for DDD of L3-4 with DJD of the lumbar spine is granted.,An initial rating of 30 percent for residuals of vestibular neuritis is granted, subject to controlling regulations governing the payment of monetary awards. The Veteran's right and left knee disabilities are remanded for further evaluation.

The Board has decided to remand the claims for service connection for speech impairment and vertigo, both claimed as secondary to service-connected bilateral hearing loss. Additional development is needed to determine their etiology.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's vertigo is proximately due to medications used to treat his service-connected hypertension and cardiac disabilities, and grants service connection for this condition.