The Veteran seeks service connection for bilateral hearing loss, which he attributes to his in-service exposure to a constant barrage from a 175 millimeter artillery piece. The VA examiner found no evidence of preexisting hearing loss at the time of enlistment and separation, but noted that the Veteran's current hearing loss may have occurred subsequent to discharge. The Board finds the opinion inadequate and remands for a new VA audiological examination.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner did not adequately address whether the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss is related to his military service or any incident therein, including noise exposure.
- Claimed conditions
- bilateral hearing loss
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- May 12, 2011
- Citation
- 1118260
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. Read the original VA decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 1118260.
What this means for you
A remand sends an issue back for more development, often a new examination or missing records. It does not award the benefit or decide the final outcome. The original decision explains the additional work ordered.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeal for service connection of bilateral hearing loss and a ruptured right ear drum was dismissed due to the death of the Veteran.
- Denied
The Board found that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was noted upon entry into active duty service and did not increase in severity during service. Therefore, it denied his claim for service connection.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for bilateral hearing loss, migraine headaches, and PTSD due to additional development of records and examination.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss claim, specifically needing an addendum opinion from a VA examiner. The Veteran will be asked to provide any missing records and former employers' information.
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