Vertigo & vestibular disorders decisions — 2000

The Board denied reopening the veteran's claim for service connection due to lack of new and material evidence, and also denied his claims for Eustachian tube dysfunction and labyrinthitis with vertigo.

The veteran's claim for a compensable rating for residuals of a right vestibular nerve resection due to recurrent Meniere's disease is being remanded for further evaluation and consideration.

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 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.