Vertigo & vestibular disorders Board decisions

The Veteran's back disability, right lower extremity radiculopathy, and left lower extremity radiculopathy are granted service connection. The Veteran's vertigo is remanded for further review due to insufficient evidence. Service connection for the acquired psychiatric disorder (major depressive disorder and somatic symptom disorder) is also remanded.

The Veteran's claims for PTSD, vertigo, pain in feet, allergic rhinitis, and gynecological disabilities are being remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations and records.

The Board has granted service connection for Meniere's disease and vertigo, finding that the Veteran's current diagnoses are related to his active-duty service. Service connection is denied for sinusitis.,Obstructive sleep apnea remains remanded.

Service connection for various conditions including bilateral shins, left ankle, left arm and elbow, lower back pain, neck pain cervical spine, rhinitis, right ankle, right arm and elbow, right hand, right hip, right shoulder scar, right wrist, sinusitis, sleep apnea, vertigo has been denied.,Service connection for tinnitus was also denied.

The Board has granted service connection for various conditions, including degenerative arthritis of the cervical and lumbar spine, right and left knee conditions, migraines, benign paroxysmal positional vertigo with dizziness and staggering, urinary dysfunction, bilateral upper and lower extremity radiculopathy, and bilateral pes planus with degenerative arthritis. The Veteran's statements and medical opinions supported these findings.

Service connection is denied for vertigo, sleep apnea, upper back condition, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus.,The Veteran's claim of service connection for migraine headaches has been remanded.

The Board has granted a disability rating of 30 percent for the Veteran's peripheral vestibular disorder, which is currently rated as 10 percent disabling. The decision finds that the Veteran's condition meets the criteria for a 30 percent rating based on his symptoms of dizziness and occasional staggering.

The Veteran was granted a 60 percent rating for Meniere's disease with tinnitus on September 29, 2020. The effective date is based on the postmark of his supplemental claim to reopen the claim.

The Board has remanded the case for a new VA examination to determine the current severity of the Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss, including symptoms of vertigo and unsteady gait. The AOJ should also consider whether another Diagnostic Code would better reflect the disability and if there are any separately ratable disabilities associated with it.

The Board has granted service connection for vertigo as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected tinnitus, resolving all doubts in favor of the Veteran.

The Board denied service connection for Meniere's syndrome as there was no evidence of a current disability during the appeal period.

The Veteran's PTSD and related disabilities have been granted effective from December 15, 2016. SMC-L is granted based on the need for aid and attendance due to service-connected conditions. The Veteran also qualifies for five half steps of SMC-P under specific criteria. No higher level of SMC is warranted.

The Board has remanded the case for further examination and opinion regarding service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper and lower extremities due to a failure to provide such in the previous decision.

The Veteran is seeking an increased initial rating for peripheral vestibular disorder and an earlier effective date for the 30 percent rating. The Board has remanded the case due to a lack of relevant medical records.

The Veteran's TBI with vertigo is being remanded for further evaluation and rating due to the need for an appropriate VA examination by a specialist in physiatry, psychiatry, neurology, or neurosurgery.

The Board has determined that there are errors in the duty to assist and is remanding the case for further development.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for bilateral hearing loss was denied, and the Board granted service connection for Meniere's syndrome as secondary to his service-connected hearing loss. The effective date of this grant is being addressed.

The Veteran's BPPV with hearing impairment is currently rated at 30 percent, but the Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted.,Service connection for a sleep-related disorder other than OSA has been denied.,Service connection for muscle pain has also been denied.

The Veteran's claim for a 30 percent rating for benign paroxysmal positional vertigo is granted. The claim for a higher rating for tinnitus, to include on an extraschedular basis, is denied.

The Veteran's other specified trauma and stress related disorder is granted as service connected. The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for Meniere's disease and right ear tinnitus due to insufficient medical opinions.