The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection and increased rating, as well as his claim to reopen. The issues include bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, peripheral vascular disease in both lower extremities, skin lesions on both legs, hypertension with edema, diabetic retinopathy, cataracts, and coronary artery disease.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's attorney excluded certain claims from the current appeal, leaving only the service connection issues for review. The Board has determined that new evidence may have been received to reopen some of these claims but cannot make a determination without further action.
- Claimed conditions
- bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, left lower extremity peripheral vascular disease, right lower extremity peripheral vascular disease, left lower extremity skin lesions, right lower extremity skin lesions, hypertension with edema, diabetic retinopathy, bilateral cataracts, coronary artery disease
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- June 7, 2018
- Citation
- 18109320
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 18109320.
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.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an initial evaluation in excess of 10 percent for his service-connected coronary artery disease, finding that the evidence did not support a higher rating based on the severity of his condition.
- 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.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.