The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection are being remanded to obtain additional medical records and provide the Veteran with proper notice.,The Veteran's claims of service connection for an ear disorder and bilateral hearing loss are being remanded to obtain VA audiological examination reports and ensure that all necessary development has been completed.,The Veteran's claim of service connection for acid reflux is being remanded to obtain a clarifying opinion regarding whether it is at least as likely as not aggravated by his PTSD and depression.,The Veteran's claims of service connection for erectile dysfunction are being remanded to obtain an addendum opinion regarding whether it is at least as likely as not directly related, secondary to, or aggravated by his service-connected conditions.,The Veteran's claim of service connection for a disability manifested by voice change is being remanded to provide the Veteran with a VA examination and determine if he has a current disability due to intubation during service.
The deciding factor: Additional medical records are needed to support the claims, proper notice must be provided regarding how to substantiate these claims, and an adequate VA examination is required for some of the issues.,The Veteran's hearing loss and ear disorder claims require additional development including obtaining relevant treatment records and a VA audiological examination. The examiner must consider in-service noise exposure and threshold shifts.,An addendum opinion is needed to clarify whether the acid reflux is at least as likely as not aggravated by his PTSD and depression, considering medical literature on comorbidity between GERD and psychological disorders.,The Veteran's erectile dysfunction claim requires an addendum opinion regarding whether it is directly related, secondary to, or aggravated by his service-connected conditions. The examiner must reconcile the Veteran's lay statements at the February 2015 VA examination.,A VA examination is needed to determine if the Veteran has a disability manifested by voice change due to intubation during service.
- Claimed conditions
- Posttraumatic Stress Disorder with Depressive Disorder, Lumbar Strain, Right Ankle Fracture with Open Reduction and Internal Fixation, Ear Disorder, Bilateral Hearing Loss, Acid Reflux (GERD), Erectile Dysfunction, Voice Change
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 14, 2016
- Citation
- 1610037
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 1610037.
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 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.
- 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 Veteran's hearing loss was rated at 30 percent, the highest non-compensable rating available. The Board found that his hearing loss did not warrant a higher rating based on VA examinations and medical records.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that there was no evidence of a nexus between his current hearing loss and his active service. The Board noted that while he had complaints of earaches in service, these did not indicate a current disability.
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