The Veteran is seeking service connection for bilateral ear and eye disabilities, including hearing loss and tinnitus. The Board has found the Veteran's testimony credible regarding in-service acoustic trauma and exposure to weapons training. However, due to missing service records, a VA examination is needed to determine the etiology of his current bilateral ear disability (hearing loss and tinnitus) and bilateral eye disability.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's service treatment records are unavailable, but he has provided credible testimony regarding in-service acoustic trauma and exposure. A VA examination is necessary to establish whether his current disabilities are related to service.
- Claimed conditions
- bilateral ear disability, bilateral eye disability
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- August 5, 2009
- Citation
- 0929194
This is a plain-language summary generated by AI from a public Board of Veterans’ Appeals decision. It can contain errors — always verify against the original. Look up the original decision on VA.gov (opens in a new tab) using citation 0929194.
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to a duty-to-assist error, specifically failing to obtain an opinion regarding whether the Veteran's current bilateral eye disability is related to service exposure to burn pits. The AOJ should obtain such an opinion.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied. The Board has also remanded the issue of service connection for a bilateral eye disability due to an inadequate medical opinion.
- Denied
The Board has denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, headaches, hypertension, neck disability, right hand arthritis of fingers, left hand arthritis of fingers, right knee arthritis, left knee arthritis, right ankle arthritis, left ankle arthritis, and left foot arthritis of toes. The Board also remanded the issues regarding service connection for obstructive sleep apnea and bilateral pes planus with plantar fasciitis.,The Board has denied service connection for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and incontinence. The Board has also denied service connection for a bilateral eye disability.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeal of his bilateral eye disability claim has been dismissed because the Veteran withdrew his appeal through his authorized representative.
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