The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for hepatitis C, human papilloma virus (HPV), a skin disorder to include skin cancer and penile cancer, a heart disorder, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus due to incomplete records and procedural issues.
The deciding factor: Incomplete service treatment and personnel records prevented the Board from making a determination on the Veteran's claims for service connection. The Board also noted that additional development was needed to obtain missing medical records and determine the nature of any current disabilities.
- Claimed conditions
- hepatitis C, human papilloma virus (HPV), a skin disorder to include skin cancer and penile cancer, a heart disorder, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 16, 2018
- Citation
- 18151206
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 18151206.
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.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for asthma and remanded claims for insomnia and sleep apnea. Other conditions were denied.
- Dismissed
The Veteran withdrew the appeals for service connection for bilateral pes planus, obstructive sleep apnea, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for multiple conditions, including bilateral hearing loss and various musculoskeletal issues, as well as an initial rating in excess of 0 percent for rhinitis. However, the Board granted a 70 percent rating for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for service connection for tinnitus to correct a duty to assist error, as the Veteran's lay statements regarding onset and continuity of symptoms were not adequately considered in the previous decision.
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