The Veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) was remanded to the RO for further development, including an examination to assess the functional impact of his service-connected disabilities and their relationship to dizziness, headaches, poor balance, and stuffy ears.
The deciding factor: The current evidence does not adequately address the Veteran's claimed symptoms or their relation to his service-connected conditions, necessitating a new examination for a more accurate assessment.
- Claimed conditions
- Bilateral hearing loss, Tinnitus, Residuals of gunshot wound scars to the right buttock and thigh, muscle group XVII, Residuals of gunshot wound scars to the right shoulder, muscle group IV, Carbuncle scar on the nape of the neck
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 4, 2009
- Citation
- 0907910
What this means for you
A remand is not a loss. The Board sent the case back for more development — often a new exam or missing records — before making a final decision. Many remands later end in a grant, and the decision spells out exactly what the Board wanted to see.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, as there was no evidence of a current disability in the right ear and insufficient evidence to establish a nexus between the left ear hearing loss and service.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's conditions are related to in-service noise exposure.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the matter for a medical clarification regarding whether the Veteran's service-connected epilepsy has aggravated his bilateral hearing loss.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss to obtain an addendum opinion addressing the Veteran's lay statements regarding in-service acoustic trauma and a rocket blast injury.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.