The Board has decided to remand two issues: the claim for service connection for residuals of a back injury and the claim for a compensable evaluation for bilateral hearing loss. The Veteran's record needs to be updated, and he must provide information about his private treatment for his back, including chiropractic care and surgery at St. Lukes Hospital in Houston, Texas. He also needs to undergo VA examinations to determine the nature and etiology of any current back disability and the severity of his bilateral hearing loss.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the Veteran's record is not fully developed and the March 2013 VA examination was inadequate for rating purposes due to insufficient records. The Veteran needs to provide information about his private treatment and undergo VA examinations to determine the nature and etiology of any current back disability and the severity of his bilateral hearing loss.
- Claimed conditions
- residuals of a back injury, bilateral hearing loss
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 26, 2018
- Citation
- 18145215
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 18145215.
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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