The Veteran's claims for increased evaluations and service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations.,The Veteran is seeking an initial compensable evaluation for his bilateral hearing loss. The VA will provide a new examination to assess the current severity of this condition.,The Veteran seeks service connection for right ankle disability, sleep apnea, GERD, sinus disability, pes planus (flatfoot), and right knee disability. A VA examination is needed to determine the etiology of these conditions.,The Veteran claims that his sleep apnea may be related to military service. The VA will provide a new examination to assess whether this condition was caused by or is the result of his military service.,The Veteran seeks service connection for GERD, which he believes may be related to in-service gastrointestinal issues. A VA examination will determine if there is a link between his current condition and his military service.,The Veteran claims that his sinus disability may be linked to military service. The VA will provide an examination to assess the etiology of this condition.,The Veteran seeks service connection for pes planus (flatfoot), which he believes was aggravated by military service. A VA examination is needed to determine if there is a link between his current condition and his military service.,The Veteran claims that his right knee disability may be related to military service. The VA will provide an examination to assess the etiology of this condition.
The deciding factor: Additional examinations are necessary due to changes in the Veteran's symptoms since previous evaluations, as well as new evidence of worsening conditions.,The Veteran has not yet been provided with a VA examination for his bilateral hearing loss. A new examination is needed to assess the current severity of this condition.,The Veteran seeks service connection for right ankle disability, sleep apnea, GERD, sinus disability, pes planus (flatfoot), and right knee disability. These conditions may be related to military service, but a VA examination is necessary to determine their etiology.,The Veteran claims that his sleep apnea may be related to military service. A new examination will assess whether this condition was caused by or is the result of his military service.,The Veteran seeks service connection for GERD, which he believes may be related to in-service gastrointestinal issues. A VA examination will determine if there is a link between his current condition and his military service.,The Veteran claims that his sinus disability may be linked to military service. The VA will provide an examination to assess the etiology of this condition.,The Veteran seeks service connection for pes planus (flatfoot), which he believes was aggravated by military service. A VA examination is needed to determine if there is a link between his current condition and his military service.,The Veteran claims that his right knee disability may be related to military service. The VA will provide an examination to assess the etiology of this condition.
- Claimed conditions
- lumbar spine degenerative disc disease, bilateral hearing loss, right ankle disability, sleep apnea, GERD, sinus disability, pes planus (flatfoot), right knee disability
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 15, 2015
- Citation
- 1552289
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 1552289.
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 Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development, including a new VA examination to assess his bilateral knee and hip 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 bilateral hearing loss, migraine headaches, and PTSD due to additional development of records and examination.
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