The Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are being remanded due to the inadequate nature of the February 2010 VA examination, which did not address the threshold shifts in hearing from service. The Court also found that the August 2015 testimony regarding tinnitus was not adequately addressed by the Board.
The deciding factor: The February 2010 VA examination and opinion were inadequate as to bilateral hearing loss due to the failure of the examiner to provide a reasoned explanation for the negative nexus opinion. The Court also found that the August 2015 testimony regarding tinnitus was not adequately addressed by the Board.
- Claimed conditions
- bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- August 23, 2017
- Citation
- 1734777
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. Read the original VA decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 1734777.
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.
- 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.
- 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 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.
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