Vertigo & vestibular disorders Board decisions

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased evaluations have been denied. The claim of service connection for right pes planus has been reopened, but the evidence does not meet the criteria for a higher evaluation.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for headaches, stress fracture of the lumbar spine and thoracic spine, photosensitivity, and vertigo have been granted. The claim for increased rating for a lumbar spine disability remains pending. A TDIU has also been granted.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current disability characterized by vertigo was not incurred in or aggravated by service and is not proximately due to, the result of, or aggravated by a service-connected disability.

The Board has decided to remand the case for additional development, including obtaining VA medical records and reserve service treatment records. The appellant's claim will be reconsidered after these steps are completed.

The Board found that Meniere's disease with hearing loss and tinnitus was not incurred in or aggravated by service, may not be presumed to have been incurred therein nor is it proximately due to a service-connected disability.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are denied as the evidence does not establish a current disability or link to service.

The Veteran's stomach disorders and BPPV are found to be secondary to his service-connected diabetes mellitus.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for depression has been granted. The Board finds that her current depression disability may be related to her military experiences, including witnessing injuries and deaths during the Persian Gulf War.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for low back disability, vertigo, and bilateral cataracts due to exposure to herbicides in Vietnam. The evidence does not support a finding of service connection for these conditions.

The Veteran's service-connected vertigo/dizziness, status-post right ear surgeries for chelesteatoma is not manifested by an exceptional or unusual disability picture with marked interference with employment or frequent periods of hospitalization. The criteria have not been met for an initial increased disability rating greater than 30 percent on an extraschedular basis.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, to include depressive and anxiety disorders, was reopened on June 22, 2009, and granted effective that date.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for bilateral hearing loss is denied. The Board previously granted service connection for Meniere's syndrome, which includes symptoms of hearing impairment and attacks of vertigo occurring more than once weekly.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not preclude him from obtaining and maintaining substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's current diagnoses of vertigo and paralysis of the seventh cranial nerve are etiologically related to his active service, specifically to a left ear cholesteatoma that developed during his service. The preponderance of evidence supports this finding.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for anxiety, bilateral hearing loss, and vertigo. The claim for service connection for anxiety was denied as there is no diagnosed condition separate from his already service-connected cognitive impairment or dementia due to Parkinson's disease. The claim for bilateral hearing loss was denied as there is no currently diagnosed disability. The claim for vertigo remains pending.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining Social Security Administration records and scheduling a VA examination to determine the etiology of his vertigo.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for left ear Meniere's disease with hearing loss and tinnitus, as well as a chronic disability involving the cervical spine. The evidence did not support an in-service onset of these conditions.

The Veteran's disability compensation was restored, and the overpayment of severance pay is being recouped through monthly deductions.

The Board has reopened the claims for service connection for otitis media, vertigo, viral syndrome, and bilateral hearing loss as manifestations of an undiagnosed illness. However, no new evidence was provided to support these claims.

The Veteran was granted service connection for bilateral tinnitus and denied service connection for ear syndrome (Meniere's disease). The Board found that the evidence supported a finding of in-service noise exposure leading to current bilateral tinnitus, but did not address the issue of Meniere's disease.