The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including obtaining Social Security Administration records and scheduling a social and industrial survey to determine if his service-connected disabilities preclude him from securing and following substantially gainful employment.
The deciding factor: The Board finds that the current opinion regarding the unemployability of the Veteran due to his bilateral hearing loss is inadequate and requires further examination to assess whether his service-connected conditions, including hearing loss, impact his ability to work.
- Claimed conditions
- post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), left elbow shrapnel wound scar, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, left upper chest shrapnel wound scar
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 9, 2014
- Citation
- 1454108
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 1454108.
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.
- 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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