Vertigo & vestibular disorders Board decisions

The Board is remanding the Veteran's claims for Meniere's disease and pulmonary vascular disease to obtain additional medical opinions, gather VA treatment records, and address whether these conditions are related to service or other factors.

The Board found that neither vertigo nor a peripheral vestibular system disorder was shown to have had onset during service. The Veteran's vertigo was first documented approximately 49 years after service, and is not shown to be related to an injury, disease, or event of service or to service-connected otitis externa or bilateral hearing loss.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for acquired psychiatric disorder, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, low back disorder, skin disorder, hypertension, and vertigo. The Board found that there was no evidence of chronic manifestations of these conditions during or within one year after service discharge.

The Veteran's claim for an initial disability evaluation in excess of 10 percent for vertigo must be remanded due to the need for a new VA examination.

The Board has dismissed the appeal for an increased rating for left ear hearing loss and the claim to reopen a claim for service connection for blurred vision/refractive error. The Veteran's claim for service connection for vertigo and headaches, as residuals of a head injury in service, is reopened due to new evidence presented.

The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 30 percent for left ear vestibular nerve injury with balance disturbance and vertigo, effective from December 1, 2005, was denied as his symptoms did not warrant a higher rating under the applicable VA rating criteria.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a nervous stomach disorder, dizziness, nausea and vertigo, and an acquired psychiatric disability to include depression, anxiety and PTSD. The evidence did not establish that these conditions were incurred or aggravated by military service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional VA examinations.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's Meniere's disease had its onset in service and is therefore granted service connection. The issue of whether his right knee disorder was aggravated during active service remains unresolved.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus, finding that it is related to his military service. The issue of service connection for a disorder manifested by imbalance and vertigo/dizziness is remanded for additional development.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's Meniere's disease with right ear hearing loss and tinnitus warrants a rating of 30 percent, effective from November 1, 2007. However, the Board found that the evidence does not support a higher initial rating due to lack of cerebellar gait.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, but denied service connection for skin cancer of the left arm (as secondary to service-connected left hand osteoarthritis), cancer of the lip, inner ear disorder (vertigo), and bilateral hearing loss. The decision on the issue of service connection for tinnitus is based on direct evidence.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and vertigo. The evidence did not show a nexus between these conditions and military service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied, except for the grant of service connection for tinnitus with a 10% evaluation effective January 13, 2006. The remaining conditions are not considered to be related to active service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased evaluations for her left ear hearing loss and vertigo (claimed as Meniere's disease), finding that the preponderance of the evidence did not support a higher evaluation.

The Veteran's claims for compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 and service connection for vertigo were denied as the evidence did not show that his claimed conditions resulted from VA treatment or exposure to herbicides.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional development, including obtaining prison medical records and updating VA treatment records.

The Board found that it is not in the Veteran's favor to assign separate disability ratings for hearing loss, vertigo, and tinnitus. The Veteran's tinnitus does not warrant referral for extra-schedular consideration.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for hepatitis and Meniere's disease due to inadequate statement of reasons or bases regarding the duty to assist, failure to provide VA examinations, and need for additional development.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased rating are being remanded due to the addition of new evidence not previously considered by the RO.