The Veteran's initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss was denied, as his current level of impairment does not warrant a higher evaluation.,His IHD claim was also denied, as the evidence did not show it met the criteria for an increased rating beyond 10 percent.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's hearing loss and heart disease were evaluated based on VA guidelines, with no changes in severity since his last examinations. The medical records consistently showed that his conditions did not meet the criteria for higher ratings.,For the skin condition claim, the Board found insufficient evidence to determine if it was related to service due to a lack of examination or treatment records.
- Claimed conditions
- bilateral hearing loss, ischemic heart disease (IHD), skin condition
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- Gulf War
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 1, 2018
- Citation
- 18146414
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 18146414.
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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