The Board has denied service connection for tinnitus due to lack of evidence showing a nexus between the current condition and in-service noise exposure. The right ankle disability claim is remanded as there is no opinion on whether it is secondary to the service-connected left ankle disability.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's representative challenged the VA examiner’s opinion, arguing that tinnitus was not related to military service due to lack of in-service testing and because the Veteran denied post-service noise exposure. The Board found these arguments unpersuasive and upheld the examiner's conclusion based on her clinical experience.
- Claimed conditions
- tinnitus, right ankle disability
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- July 26, 2018
- Citation
- 18121263
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 18121263.
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.
- 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.
- Granted
The Veteran's tinnitus is granted as service connected. The issues of foot disability and cardiovascular disorder are remanded for additional development.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, finding that it is at least as likely as not that the Veteran experienced tinnitus during his active duty service.
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