Vertigo & vestibular disorders Board decisions

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, granted service connection for tinnitus, and denied service connection for vertigo (claimed as secondary to bilateral hearing loss).

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for vertigo and eye disorders, including blurred vision, as secondary to his service-connected PTSD. The Veteran is also seeking a TDIU prior to January 8, 2018.

The Board has decided to remand the case for further development and consideration of the Veteran's claim for compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 for right vestibular dysfunction as a residual of Methicillin Sensitive Staphylococcus Aureus (MSSA) infection.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a left ankle disorder and Meniere’s disease, finding that there was no evidence of such conditions during active duty or ACDUTRA/INACDUTRA. The VA examiner determined that the current left ankle disability is less likely related to any period of service.,The Board also denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for Meniere’s disease, concluding that it is not related to his military service due to lack of evidence and finding no nexus between the condition and exposure to burn pits during active duty.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are found to have had their onset in service.,There is no evidence of a current gout disability or functional impairment due to gout.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for headaches, inner ear condition, vertigo, and intestinal condition due to lack of available service treatment records. The Veteran is to be afforded VA examinations to determine if his conditions are related to service, including exposure to Agent Orange.

The Veteran's service connection claim for a vestibular order with ataxia and vertigo is granted, as the evidence shows that his condition is at least as likely as not related to his military service, specifically the anthrax vaccine he received during INACDUTRA.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his service-connected Meniere's disease was denied as the evidence did not show he had a cerebellar gait, which would be necessary for a higher 60% rating. The current 30% rating under DC 6205 is upheld.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for service connection of vertigo and cerebellar gait, finding that no formal or informal claims were received prior to January 20, 2015.

The Board has decided that the case needs to be remanded for further development and examination, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and private treatment records. The Veteran's Meniere's syndrome is being reviewed in relation to his service history and any potential connection to his hearing loss.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection or compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 for Meniere’s disease, aphonia, and bladder injury with voiding dysfunction due to pending AMA claims.

The Veteran's vertigo, diagnosed as BPPV, is not shown to be causally or etiologically related to any disease, injury, or incident during service. The Board affirms the denial of service connection for vertigo.,Service connection for hypothyroidism status post thyroidectomy is denied because it was due to an intercurrent cause (the thyroidectomy). Service connection for a cervical spine disorder and erectile dysfunction are remanded as they may be related to service-connected disabilities. The umbilical hernia claim is also remanded.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for vertigo, finding that there is no evidence to support a nexus between his current condition and his military service or any service-connected disability.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for vertigo and sleep apnea disabilities due to insufficient medical opinions regarding their relationship to his military service.

The Veteran's claim for an increased disability rating for bilateral hearing loss from March 23, 2016 to June 28, 2016 was denied. The Veteran's claim for a disability rating of 100 percent for vertigo with impaired balance with hearing loss and tinnitus from June 28, 2016 through December 13, 2017 was granted.

The Veteran's claim for a higher initial rating for his peripheral vestibular disorder is granted, with a 10 percent disability rating effective since January 1, 2014.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a left foot disability and vertigo, finding that there was no evidence to support these conditions were incurred in or related to his military service.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and an examination to determine if the Veteran's vertigo is related to service, including any in-service noise exposure or acoustic trauma. The hearing loss case remains denied.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD and a shell fragment wound of the left leg with a fracture, have rendered him unable to work since July 2005. The Board has granted his claim for TDIU on an extraschedular basis from July 1, 2005.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for a total disability rating based upon individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities, finding that his four service-connected conditions do not render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.