The Board has determined that additional development is needed for the Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and PTSD. Specifically, a VA examination with a psychologist or psychiatrist is required to determine whether his claimed stressors are sufficient to support a diagnosis of PTSD, and an audiological examination is necessary to assess the nature and etiology of his hearing loss and tinnitus.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's claims require additional development due to the need for a VA examination regarding his claimed PTSD and an audiological examination to determine the nature and etiology of his hearing loss and tinnitus.
- Claimed conditions
- bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 23, 2013
- Citation
- 1302481
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 1302481.
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.
- 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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorders, including bipolar disorder and PTSD. The Veteran will be asked to provide additional medical records and undergo a VA examination.
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