The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain additional VA treatment records and to schedule him for examinations to address the nature and etiology of his claimed conditions, including right shoulder disability, hypertension, heart disability (mitral valve prolapse), PTSD, TBI, lumbar strain, and need for aid and attendance.
The deciding factor: The claims file does not contain all relevant VA treatment records from the period in question. Additionally, there is insufficient evidence to determine the nature and etiology of the Veteran's claimed conditions without additional development.
- Claimed conditions
- bilateral hearing loss, tuberculosis, varicose veins of the lower extremities, left shoulder disability, right shoulder disability, hypertension, heart disability (mitral valve prolapse), posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), lumbar strain, tinnitus, traumatic brain injury (TBI), posttraumatic headaches (associated with TBI), scalp scars
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 1, 2017
- Citation
- 1706101
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 1706101.
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 right shoulder disability and migraines/chronic headaches are remanded for additional development due to insufficient opinions on the etiology of her conditions.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for hypertension and peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper and lower extremities due to insufficient medical opinions regarding their etiology.
- 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.
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