Vertigo & vestibular disorders decisions — 2010

The Veteran's appeal has been dismissed as the appellant withdrew his appeal prior to a decision being made.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for left knee disorder, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and Meniere's disease. The decision found insufficient evidence of a nexus between these conditions and his military service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's vertigo is more likely than not aggravated by medications taken for his service-connected PTSD with panic disorder, and thus secondary service connection is granted.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, peripheral vestibular disorder (balance), and a left ear drum disorder, all claimed as secondary to his service-connected residuals of a fractured mandible. The evidence does not support finding that these conditions are related to active duty service or a service-connected disability.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current vertigo is proximately due to or the result of his service-connected conversion hysteria reaction with petit mal seizures, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's claim of service connection for vertigo is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including a VA examination and opinion regarding the etiology of his condition.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for earaches, headaches, and vertigo, as well as his increased ratings for tinnitus, fragment wounds, left ear and face, bilateral hearing loss, PTSD, and TDIU. The evidence did not establish current disabilities associated with these conditions.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for asbestosis, vertigo, and bilateral hearing loss have been denied. The Board found no current diagnoses of these conditions in the record, and there is insufficient evidence to establish a link between any diagnosed condition and active service.

The Veteran is seeking service connection for vertigo, which he claims is secondary to his service-connected hearing loss and tinnitus. The case is being remanded due to the need for a new VA medical opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's vertigo.

The Board has dismissed the appeals for increased evaluations of otitis media, positional vertigo, and PTSD as the appellant withdrew his appeal.

The Board has granted service connection for Meniere's disease and bilateral hearing loss, finding that the evidence supports a link to service. The Veteran is entitled to an initial rating of 10 percent for migraine headaches.

The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including a right foot disorder, right knee disorder, heart disorder, prostatitis, rheumatoid arthritis, and degenerative disc disease of the spine. The decision also addressed service connection on a secondary basis for Meniere's Disease.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for right ear hearing loss was granted. The Board also found new and material evidence to reopen his claim of service connection for disequilibrium/vertigo, which is now pending.

The Veteran's claim for special monthly compensation based on loss of use of lower extremities due to vestibular neuropathy was denied. The issue of service connection for a neuropsychiatric disorder, including PTSD and major depressive disorder, was also addressed but the rating assigned is not applicable as it pertains to special monthly compensation.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection and increased evaluations for various conditions, including coronary artery disease, hypertension, bilateral hearing loss, macular degeneration, vertigo, and headaches.