The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining a VA examination to determine if any of the Veteran's symptoms (tinnitus, ear pain, headaches, dizziness, and vertigo) are related to his service-connected left ear hearing loss. The claims of entitlement to an extraschedular rating for hearing loss and TDIU are inextricably intertwined.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the VA examination report was inadequate as it only addressed the Veteran's symptoms of vertigo and dizziness, but not tinnitus, ear pain, headaches, or other conditions. The examiner did not provide an opinion on these issues due to lack of relevant medical history and treatment.
- Claimed conditions
- left ear hearing loss, tinnitus, ear pain, headaches, dizziness, vertigo
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 29, 2015
- Citation
- 1554168
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 1554168.
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.
- Granted
The Board has determined that the Veteran's headaches are at least as likely as not caused by his service-connected traumatic brain injury, and thus grants service connection for this condition.
- 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.
- Granted
The Veteran's tinnitus is granted as service connected. The issues of foot disability and cardiovascular disorder are remanded for additional development.
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