The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need to obtain his SSA records, which may contain relevant evidence.
The deciding factor: VA has a heightened obligation to assist the appellant in cases where STRs are unavailable and must make reasonable efforts to obtain such records. In this case, VA failed to attempt to obtain the Veteran's SSA records despite actual notice of their existence.
- Claimed conditions
- liver disability, bilateral leg disability, heart disability, cancer, thin blood, status post bilateral total knee replacement, bilateral eye disability, tinnitus, dental disability, blood clots of the lungs, bilateral hearing loss
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- May 23, 2012
- Citation
- 1218339
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 1218339.
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 service connection for hearing loss, tinnitus, and an acquired psychiatric disorder due to incomplete medical records and need for further examination.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for tinnitus, arthritis, and memory loss. The decision found no evidence linking these conditions to his military service.
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