The Veteran's appeal involves multiple service-connected disabilities, including psychiatric disability, asthma, hemorrhoids, Morton's neuroma, sinusitis, hypertension, right and left shoulder disabilities, a right knee disability, otitis media, rhinitis, costochondritis, GERD, headaches, and left testicle epididymitis. The Veteran does not have hearing loss as defined by VA regulations.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's audiometric testing did not show that the auditory threshold in either ear was 40 decibels or greater in any of the frequencies of 500, 1,000, 2,000, 3,000, or 4,000 Hertz. The Veteran's speech discrimination scores were also above 94 percent for both ears.
- Claimed conditions
- Bilateral Hearing Loss, Psychiatric Disability, Asthma, Hemorrhoids Post- Anal Fistula Surgery, Left Morton's Neuroma Excision, claimed as Plantar Fasciitis, Sinusitis, Hypertension, Right Shoulder Disability, Left Shoulder Disability, Right Knee Degenerative Joint Disease, Bilateral Otitis Media, Allergic Rhinitis, Costochondritis, Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD), Headaches, Left Testicle Epididymitis with Erectile Dysfunction
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 7, 2015
- Citation
- 1514934
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. Search VA.gov for the original decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 1514934.
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.
- Granted
The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is granted as service-connected. The claims for alcohol abuse and psychiatric disorder are remanded for additional development, including a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of these conditions.
- Denied
The Board denied the claim of service connection for hypertension, finding that it did not manifest during service and is not causally related to the Veteran's exposure to herbicides or service.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the case due to a need for a new VA examination to assess the current severity of the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss. The issue remains under direct service connection theory.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension, finding that there was no evidence of a nexus between his current condition and active duty service or herbicide exposure.
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