Vertigo & vestibular disorders decisions — 2009

The Veteran's claim for service connection for vertigo, including as secondary to his service-connected hearing loss, tinnitus, and/or hypertension, was remanded for further development.

The Board denied service connection for vertigo and balance problems, a digestive disability, and individual unemployability as the evidence did not show a nexus to service or service-connected conditions.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for an earlier effective date for a 100 percent evaluation of Meniere's syndrome, special monthly compensation based on being housebound, and total disability rating for compensation purposes based on individual unemployability.

The Board found that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was related to service, but his right ear vestibular neuritis was not.

The appeal is remanded for additional development, including a new VA examination to determine the current severity of the Veteran's service-connected conditions.

The Veteran is entitled to special monthly pension based on the need for regular aid and attendance, but not to a certificate of eligibility for financial assistance in the purchase of an automobile or other conveyance, or adaptive equipment.

The Board found that the Veteran's vertigo was not related to his service and denied the claim.

The Board denied service connection for vertigo, sinusitis, hypertension, and a vascular disorder causing headaches, dizziness, and blackouts as the preponderance of evidence showed that these conditions were not related to the veteran's military service.

The Board denied service connection for a heart disorder, Meniere's disease, bilateral knee disorder, bilateral shoulder disorder, and sinusitis for accrued benefits purposes as the evidence did not support that these conditions were incurred in or caused by active military service.

The appeal is being remanded to the RO for scheduling a hearing and addressing an unprocessed notice of disagreement regarding a higher rating for radiculopathy of the left lower extremity.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date was denied, as the evidence did not establish clear and unmistakable error in a prior rating decision or that new and material evidence had been submitted to reopen his claim for heart problems.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for Meniere's disease, finding that it was not related to his active service or any incident therein, including his service-connected bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus.

The appeal is remanded for additional development, including notice to the veteran regarding his increased rating claims and CUE claim.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for Meniere's disease was reopened, and an earlier effective date of August 20, 2003, but no earlier, is warranted for the assignment of a 40 percent rating for Cogan's syndrome.

The veteran's claim for service connection for leptomeningitis was reopened based on new and material evidence, but the Board found that there is no evidence of a causal relationship between the current disability and the veteran's period of active military service or his service-connected chronic sinusitis.