Vertigo & vestibular disorders Board decisions

The Board has determined that the claims of tinnitus, a condition manifested by dizziness and vertigo, and hearing loss are not well grounded. The claim for service connection for hearing loss is reopened due to new evidence submitted since the last denial in 1983.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for an increased evaluation for left ear hearing loss and service connection for Meniere's disease. The decision found that her current hearing loss did not warrant a compensable rating, and her claim for Meniere's disease was not well-grounded.

The Board granted service connection for a heart condition secondary to PTSD and assigned a 60% evaluation effective from July 11, 1991. The veteran's claim of TDIU was also granted with an effective date of July 11, 1991.

The Board has granted an increased rating of 30 percent for the veteran's service-connected vertigo and tinnitus, effective from September 20, 1994. The right hip fracture is also found to be secondary to the service-connected vertigo and tinnitus, warranting separate service connection.

The veteran's claims for increased rating and total disability based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities are being remanded for additional development of the record.

The veteran's service-connected endolymphatic hydrops of the right ear (also characterized as Meniere's syndrome) is manifested by severe symptomatology, including frequent and typical attacks, vertigo, deafness, and cerebellar gait. The Board has determined that a 100 percent evaluation is warranted under the revised rating criteria.

The Board denied eligibility for payment of attorney fees resulting from the grant of an increased rating to 100 percent for vertigo due to inner ear dysfunction with hearing loss and tinnitus.

The Board has reopened the claim and determined that new evidence supports a finding of service connection for Meniere's disease.

The veteran's multiple service-connected disabilities, including Crohn's disease and organic personality syndrome, prevent him from successfully pursuing vocational rehabilitation and becoming gainfully employed.

The Board has determined that the veteran's hearing loss, tinnitus, and Meniere's disease are service-connected based on direct evidence of their onset during active duty.

The Board found no evidence of a nexus between the appellant's current bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus with vertigo and his period of active duty for training, thus denying service connection.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an increased rating for Meniere's disease, finding that his symptoms did not warrant a higher evaluation.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for bilateral plantar warts and compensable rating for hemorrhoids, as well as his service connection claims for nerve damage to the hands and wrists (claimed as carpal tunnel syndrome), dizziness (claimed as vertigo and a black-out seizure disorder), and headaches. The clothing allowance claim was denied.

The Board has granted service connection for adjustment disorder with depression, but denied the claim for evaluation of bilateral hearing loss and did not address the reopening of the Meniere's disease claim.

The Board denied the veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for headaches, dizziness and vertigo as there was no medical evidence showing a current disability or linking any symptomatology to military service.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for Meniere's disease and an increased evaluation for otitis externa, finding that there was no evidence to support these claims.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings and earlier effective dates for service connection for bilateral defective hearing and vertigo have been granted by the RO.

The Board denied the claims for service connection for Meniere's disease, an original rating in excess of 30 percent for post-traumatic stress disorder, and an increased rating in excess of 10 percent for a low back disability. The RO is instructed to readjudicate these issues with consideration of additional evidence.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claim for a compensable evaluation for bilateral hearing loss is denied, and his claim for service connection for Meniere's Syndrome as secondary to service-connected bilateral hearing loss is well-grounded.