The Veteran's appeal for a higher rating for bilateral hearing loss disability was denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support entitlement to a higher evaluation for his service-connected bilateral hearing loss disability at any point during the appeal period. For migraine headaches, the claim is remanded as there are insufficient records and an examination is needed to determine if they are related to military service.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's current diagnoses do not meet the criteria for a compensable rating due to his hearing acuity levels being at level I or II, which correspond to noncompensable ratings under VA regulations. For migraine headaches, there was insufficient evidence to establish a nexus between the condition and military service.
- Claimed conditions
- bilateral hearing loss, migraine headaches
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 25, 2018
- Citation
- 18145008
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 18145008.
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 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 bilateral hearing loss, migraine headaches, and PTSD due to additional development of records and examination.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss claim, specifically needing an addendum opinion from a VA examiner. The Veteran will be asked to provide any missing records and former employers' information.
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