Vertigo & vestibular disorders decisions — 2024

The Veteran's TBI with vertigo is being remanded for further evaluation and rating due to the need for an appropriate VA examination by a specialist in physiatry, psychiatry, neurology, or neurosurgery.

The Board has determined that there are errors in the duty to assist and is remanding the case for further development.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for bilateral hearing loss was denied, and the Board granted service connection for Meniere's syndrome as secondary to his service-connected hearing loss. The effective date of this grant is being addressed.

The Veteran's BPPV with hearing impairment is currently rated at 30 percent, but the Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted.,Service connection for a sleep-related disorder other than OSA has been denied.,Service connection for muscle pain has also been denied.

The Veteran's claim for a 30 percent rating for benign paroxysmal positional vertigo is granted. The claim for a higher rating for tinnitus, to include on an extraschedular basis, is denied.

The Veteran's other specified trauma and stress related disorder is granted as service connected. The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for Meniere's disease and right ear tinnitus due to insufficient medical opinions.

The Board has determined that new and relevant evidence was not received to support the Veteran's claims for service connection for cervical spine, right shoulder, and bilateral ear disabilities. The claim for bilateral ear disability other than hearing loss, tinnitus, and vertigo is readjudicated as having been supported by new evidence.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for Meniere's disease is being remanded due to the receipt of new and relevant evidence. The Board will consider whether the condition had its onset during periods of active duty, inactive duty training, or if it was caused by her service-connected right ear hearing loss.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for Meniere's disease is being remanded due to the receipt of new and relevant evidence. The Board will consider whether the condition had its onset during periods of active duty, inactive duty training, or if it was caused by her service-connected right ear hearing loss.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for Meniere's disease is being remanded due to the receipt of new and relevant evidence. The Board will consider whether the condition had its onset during periods of active duty, inactive duty training, or if it was caused by her service-connected right ear hearing loss.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for Meniere's disease is being remanded due to the receipt of new and relevant evidence. The Board will consider whether the condition had its onset during periods of active duty, inactive duty training, or if it was caused by her service-connected right ear hearing loss.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for Meniere's disease is being remanded due to the receipt of new and relevant evidence. The Board will consider whether the condition had its onset during periods of active duty, inactive duty training, or if it was caused by her service-connected right ear hearing loss.

The Board has decided to remand the claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, recurrent disability manifested by vertigo, and a compensable rating prior to August 27, 2020, and in excess of 60 percent for pseudofolliculitis barbae due to pre-decisional errors regarding audiometric testing and treatment records.

The Veteran's dizziness, syncope, and syncopal episodes disorder is granted as secondary to his service-connected lumbar spine disability. The claim for an increased rating for depressive disorder remains pending.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development, including obtaining service treatment and personnel records, verifying his service dates, and scheduling VA examinations to determine the nature and etiology of his claimed disabilities.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for dizziness/vertigo and bilateral knee pain, finding no current disability of these conditions and insufficient evidence to establish a link between them and his military service.

The Veteran's migraine headaches are found to have started during service and granted service connection.,There is no evidence of sleep apnea or related disability, and the claim for this condition is denied.

The Veteran's claims for PTSD, arrhythmia, hypertension, diabetes, skin rash, sleep apnea, TBI, vertigo, and erectile dysfunction were denied as there is no persuasive evidence of a current disability or a link to service.,Specifically, the Board found that the Veteran did not have a current diagnosis of PTSD under DSM-5 criteria at any time during or approximate to the pendency of the claim. The Veteran's arrhythmia and hypertension are conceded but do not meet the nexus requirement as there is no persuasive evidence they began in service.,The Veteran's diabetes was not shown as chronic in service, manifested to a compensable degree within the applicable presumptive period, or etiologically related to an in-service injury or disease. The Veteran's skin rash and sleep apnea were also denied due to lack of persuasive evidence.

The Veteran's claims for PTSD, arrhythmia, hypertension, diabetes, skin rash, sleep apnea, TBI, vertigo, and erectile dysfunction were denied as there is no persuasive evidence of a current disability or a link to service.,Specifically, the Board found that the Veteran did not have a current diagnosis of PTSD under DSM-5 criteria at any time during or approximate to the pendency of the claim. The Veteran's arrhythmia and hypertension are conceded but do not meet the nexus requirement as there is no persuasive evidence they began in service.,The Veteran's diabetes was not shown as chronic in service, manifested to a compensable degree within the applicable presumptive period, or etiologically related to an in-service injury or disease. The Veteran's skin rash and sleep apnea were also denied due to lack of persuasive evidence.

The Board is remanding the claims for service connection for Meniere's disease and OSA as there are insufficient medical opinions to adjudicate these issues. The Veteran has been diagnosed with both conditions, but the VA examiners have not provided sufficient information regarding their relationship to his service-connected tinnitus.