The Board has dismissed the appeals for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and diabetes mellitus 2. The claims for reopening of service connection for fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, sleep disturbance, gastrointestinal symptoms, and pulmonary/respiratory symptoms due to Gulf War service and exposures therein are remanded.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the Veteran withdrew his appeals for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus prior to the promulgation of a decision. The claims for reopening were supported by new evidence related to unestablished facts necessary to substantiate the underlying claim of service connection, raising a reasonable possibility of substantiating those claims.
- Claimed conditions
- bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, sleep disturbance, gastrointestinal symptoms, pulmonary/respiratory symptoms
- How they argued it
- Reopened with new and material evidence
- Exposure basis
- Gulf War
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- July 6, 2018
- Citation
- 18116695
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 18116695.
What this means for you
A dismissal means the Board did not decide the issue on its merits — usually because it was withdrawn or had become moot. It says more about procedure than about whether a claim like this can win.
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.
- Granted
The Veteran's claim for service connection for migraines was reopened due to new evidence. Service connection is granted for painful scars, but the rating assigned remains at 10 percent. The claims for fibromyalgia and bilateral shoulder disability are denied.
- 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.
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