The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss and sinusitis due to insufficient evidence. The claim of entitlement to an initial disability evaluation in excess of 10 percent for a keloid scar of the mid-chest is denied as there is no medical nexus indicating causation with service.
The deciding factor: There is no competent medical evidence linking the Veteran's current conditions to his military service, including sinusitis and bilateral hearing loss. The claim for an increased disability rating for the keloid scar of the mid-chest is also denied due to lack of a medical nexus.
- Claimed conditions
- Bilateral Hearing Loss, Sinusitis, Keloid Scar of the Mid-Chest
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 13, 2009
- Citation
- 0938736
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 0938736.
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.
- Granted
The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is granted as service-connected. The claims for alcohol abuse and psychiatric disorder are remanded for additional development, including a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of these conditions.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the case due to a need for a new VA examination to assess the current severity of the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss. The issue remains under direct service connection theory.
- Denied
The Veteran's hearing loss was rated at 30 percent, the highest non-compensable rating available. The Board found that his hearing loss did not warrant a higher rating based on VA examinations and medical records.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that there was no evidence of a nexus between his current hearing loss and his active service. The Board noted that while he had complaints of earaches in service, these did not indicate a current disability.
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