Vertigo & vestibular disorders decisions — 2019

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for Meniere's disease, left ear hearing loss, right ear hearing loss, tinnitus, PTSD, diplopia, and migraine headaches. The Veteran is to be scheduled for examinations to determine the nature and etiology of these conditions.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for osteoarthritis of the left and right knees, as well as her claim for special monthly compensation based on need for aid and attendance due to vertigo, are being remanded for additional development.

The Veteran's frequent headaches with staggering vertigo are now rated at 30 percent, effective from the date of this decision.

The Veteran's claims for vertigo, vascular malformation, and headache disorder were granted with an effective date of December 8, 2014. The Board denied earlier effective dates for these conditions.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection on the issues of a pulmonary condition/respiratory problem, dental condition, vertigo to include dizziness, gastroesophageal reflux (GERD), fibromyalgia and bilateral foot plantar fascitis were dismissed.

The Veteran's vertigo, diagnosed as vestibular disequilibrium with dizziness and occasional staggering, is rated at 30% from June 6, 2014 to August 23, 2017. A higher rating is not warranted.

Service connection granted for an acquired psychiatric condition, including PTSD.,Service connection granted for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to service-connected hearing loss.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including vertigo, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus, rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment from December 27, 2004 onward. The Board found that the evidence showed his disabilities prevented him from maintaining a suitable job as a truck driver due to his vertigo and hearing loss.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) and BPPV as secondary to his service-connected tinnitus, finding that there was no evidence linking these conditions to his military service or service-connected condition.

The Veteran's service-connected conditions do not meet the eligibility requirements for financial assistance in purchasing an automobile and adaptive equipment.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further development, including a VA examination to assess the severity of his service-connected conditions and their impact on his ability to work. The issues include seeking higher ratings for chronic pansinusitis, migraine headaches, and bilateral hearing loss; determining whether he has service connection for Meniere’s disease; and considering entitlement to TDIU.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for residuals of a stroke claimed as secondary to service-connected generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 for a disability claimed as residuals of a stroke, and entitlement to service connection for Mal de Debarquement syndrome (MdDS) due to inappropriately remanding the matter without adjudicating it first.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for vertigo and total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) due to unresolved issues regarding the nature and onset of the Veteran's vertigo, as well as its relationship to his service-connected bilateral hearing loss.

The Veteran's TDIU and SMC based on housebound status were restored effective November 1, 2016. The Board found that the original rating decision did not contain clear and unmistakable error.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The right knee condition, migraine headaches, and pain disorder with depression or persistent somatic symptom disorder are currently rated at the maximum available levels.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for a new VA examination to assess his hearing loss and its related symptoms, including vertigo, dizziness, stress, anxiety, vision problems (including cataracts), and any other conditions he claims are caused by or aggravated by his service-connected bilateral hearing loss.