The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability is manifested by no more than Level I hearing impairment in both ears, resulting in a noncompensable rating.,Entitlement to service connection for residuals of cervical spine fusion at C4-5 and lumbosacral spine fusion at L4-5, as well as neuropathy of the right leg associated with these conditions, is remanded due to insufficient medical opinions.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability does not meet the criteria for a compensable rating under VA regulations.,Medical opinions are needed regarding whether any diagnosed disabilities (including cervical spine fusion, lumbosacral spine fusion, and associated neuropathy) are at least as likely as not related to service.
- Claimed conditions
- Bilateral Hearing Loss, Residuals of Cervical Spine Fusion, C4-5, Residuals of Lumbosacral Spine Fusion at L4-5, Neuropathy, Right Leg, Arthritis, Multiple Joints (previously claimed as multiple joint pain due to an undiagnosed illness)
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 24, 2018
- Citation
- 18105358
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 18105358.
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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