The Veteran's appeal is REMANDED for additional examinations and opinions to address the etiology of his claimed disabilities, including hearing loss, tinnitus, PAF, hypertension, acid reflux, erectile dysfunction, and any acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD.
The deciding factor: The Board finds that there are insufficient medical opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's claimed disabilities. Therefore, additional examinations and opinions are needed to determine if service connection is warranted for these conditions.
- Claimed conditions
- Coronary artery disease, Lumbago with degenerative disc disease (low back disability), Hearing loss, Tinnitus, Paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (PAF), Hypertension, Acid reflux, to include gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), Erectile dysfunction
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 29, 2018
- Citation
- 18145565
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 18145565.
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 remands the claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus type II and hypertension, to include as secondary to left orchiectomy, for further development in accordance with the PACT Act.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for depressive disorder as secondary to hypertension and tinnitus, but denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and an increased rating for hypertension.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, but remanded the claim for degenerative disc disease with degenerative arthritis.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for major depressive disorder with anxious distress, alcohol use disorder, tension headaches, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), and erectile dysfunction, all of which are found to be related to the Veteran's military service.
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