The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability and tinnitus. The remaining issues of service connection for lower extremity neuropathy and right upper extremity idiopathic neuropathy are remanded due to the need for additional development.
The deciding factor: Additional development is needed to verify the Veteran's claimed exposure to hazardous chemicals at Ft. Devens, Massachusetts, and to obtain a medical opinion addressing the relationship between such exposure and his current neuropathy diagnoses.
- Claimed conditions
- bilateral hearing loss disability, tinnitus, left lower extremity small fiber idiopathic neuropathy, right lower extremity small fiber idiopathic neuropathy, right upper extremity idiopathic neuropathy
- How they argued it
- Aggravation of a pre-existing condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 19, 2018
- Citation
- 18143506
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 18143506.
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.
- 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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