The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for a Board hearing before a Veterans Law Judge sitting at the RO. The issues include increased ratings for spondylolisthesis L5-S1 with left sciatica and hypertension, service connection for acid reflux, depression, and a skin rash, and an earlier effective date for total disability rating based on individual unemployability and Dependents' Educational Assistance under 38 U.S.C.A. Chapter 35.
The deciding factor: The Veteran requested a Board hearing before a Veterans Law Judge sitting at the RO due to his disagreement with the decision rendered in the supplemental statement of the case.
- Claimed conditions
- spondylolisthesis L5-S1 with left sciatica, abdominal aortic aneurysm, bilateral otitis media, hearing loss, hemorrhoids, acid reflux, depression, skin rash
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- September 6, 2017
- Citation
- 1737360
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 1737360.
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.
- 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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining in-service psychiatric treatment records and scheduling a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of any acquired psychiatric disorder.
- Granted
The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for hearing loss and tinnitus. However, it was determined that the Veteran does not have a current disability of bilateral hearing loss or tinnitus for VA purposes, thus denying both claims.
- Denied
The Veteran's depression was rated at 50 percent prior to July 1, 2016. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating due to occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity. For TDIU, the Veteran had multiple service-connected disabilities but his education and work experience were sufficient for sedentary or light labor employment.
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