The Veteran seeks service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, a right leg disability, Crohn's disease, and a left leg disability. The Board finds that additional development is necessary as the VA examination opinions are inadequate.,The Veteran asserts that he has bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to in-service noise exposure. However, the VA examiner did not consider his lay assertions of in-service acoustic trauma and ensuing hearing problems and tinnitus, which reportedly have persisted on a continuous basis since service.,The Veteran seeks service connection for a right leg disability, including torn cartilage and ligament, as well as Crohn's disease. The Board finds that additional development is necessary as the VA examiner did not consider his lay assertions of in-service symptoms and ongoing treatment post-separation from service.
The deciding factor: The VA examination opinions are inadequate because they do not consider the Veteran's lay evidence regarding in-service noise exposure, continuous symptomatology since service, and early manifestations of Crohn's disease.,The VA examiner did not provide a causal explanation for the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss due to the absence of evidence in service medical records. The Board finds that the Veteran should be provided with an adequate examination to determine the nature and etiology of any current right leg disability.
- Claimed conditions
- bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, right leg disability, Crohn's disease, left leg disability
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- July 2, 2014
- Citation
- 1429910
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 1429910.
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has expanded the scope of the claim to include any mental health disorder raised by the record and has remanded for additional development regarding service connection for left leg, ankle, and psychiatric disabilities.
- 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.
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