Vertigo & vestibular disorders Board decisions

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and Meniere's disease with tinnitus, vertigo were granted effective as of December 20, 2011. A 100% rating was assigned for the entire appeal period from December 20, 2011 to May 3, 2019.

The Board has granted service connection for a lumbar spine disability and remanded the other issues due to insufficient evidence. The Veteran's Meniere's syndrome with tinnitus is being evaluated without medication, and an addendum opinion on the severity of her cervical spine disability is needed.

The Board has granted a rating of at least 60 percent for Meniere's disease, but has remanded the issues regarding entitlement to higher ratings and a separate compensable rating for pain and crusting around the Veteran's hearing aid mount.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for Meniere's Disease, finding that there was no evidence of a direct or secondary relationship to his military service, including presumed herbicide exposure and/or service-connected hearing loss.

The Board has determined that new and relevant evidence has been received to warrant readjudication of the claims for bilateral hearing loss, right upper extremity peripheral neuropathy secondary to service-connected diabetes mellitus, type II, left upper extremity peripheral neuropathy secondary to service-connected diabetes mellitus, type II, kidney disease, hematuria, vertigo/vestibular disorder, and chronic cerumen buildup of the left ear. The claims for tinnitus have not been readjudicated as no new and relevant evidence has been received.

The Veteran's service connection claims for various disabilities, including back disability, right and left lower extremity radiculopathy, Parkinson's disease, sleep disorder, sinus disability, nocturia, altered gait, right ear growth, left knee strain, gynecomastia, inguinal hernia, priapism, bilateral pulmonary embolism, parotid neoplasms, and hepatitis C have been denied. The Board found no evidence of service connection or secondary service connection for these conditions.

The appeals for service connection and increased ratings have been dismissed. The issues of a compensable disability rating for bilateral hearing loss, compensation for a vestibular disorder (claimed as headaches and dizziness), and entitlement to TDIU are remanded.

The Board dismissed the Veteran's motion for revision of a June 2012 decision that granted service connection for tinnitus, right ear hearing loss, and a vestibular disorder. The motion did not meet the threshold requirements to establish clear and unmistakable error (CUE).

The Board has remanded the case due to outstanding VA and private treatment records, as well as a need for additional medical opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's claimed conditions.

The Veteran's BPPV is rated at 30 percent disabling as of April 24, 2020. The condition causes dizziness and occasional staggering.

The Board denied service connection for dizziness including vertigo and migraines as there is no evidence linking these conditions to the Veteran's service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's major depressive disorder is rated at 70 percent for the period prior to June 5, 2017. The Board also granted a 60 percent extraschedular rating for benign paroxysmal positional vertigo on an extraschedular basis.

The Board has remanded the claim of service connection for vertigo due to inadequate examination and reasoning.

The Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, an ear disorder (Meniere's syndrome), and an acquired psychiatric disorder (anxiety disorder, major depressive disorder, and bulimia nervosa) have been denied as there is no evidence of a current disability related to service.,There are no medical records showing the Veteran developed any of these conditions during his active service or within one year after separation from service.

The Veteran's claims for PTSD, diabetes mellitus, type II, and vertigo are remanded due to the need for additional development including obtaining medical records and scheduling a hearing.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's vertigo is related to the removal of a mass from his neck, and thus service connection for this condition is granted.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for Meniere's syndrome and TBI due to insufficient development of records related to an in-service assault. The Veteran was not provided with all requested Inspector General investigation records, which are necessary to determine if his disabilities were caused by such assaults.

The Board has denied service connection for carpal tunnel of the left hand, migraines, varicose veins of the left leg, GERD, and vertigo due to lack of current diagnoses. The case is remanded for further examination and evaluation.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for vertigo, migraine headaches, and lumbar spine disability due to inadequate medical opinions.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for Meniere's Disease was denied, and his TDIU claim was granted.