The Veteran's whole-body pain is attributed to skeletal arthritis, which has no direct connection to service.,Bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are not shown as current disabilities for VA purposes.,Tinnitus began more than a year after separation from active duty service and is unrelated to any aspect of service.,The Veteran's diagnosed sleep apnea is not related to service, with no evidence suggesting an in-service onset or connection.,There is no objective evidence showing hair loss.
The deciding factor: The diagnoses for the conditions are clear and specific, and do not align with presumptive service connection criteria.
- Claimed conditions
- skeletal arthritis, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, sleep disorder (specifically sleep apnea), hair loss
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 28, 2018
- Citation
- 18153864
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. Read the original VA decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 18153864.
What this means for you
A remand sends an issue back for more development, often a new examination or missing records. It does not award the benefit or decide the final outcome. The original decision explains the additional work ordered.
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 service connection for hearing loss, tinnitus, and an acquired psychiatric disorder due to incomplete medical records and need for further examination.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for tinnitus, arthritis, and memory loss. The decision found no evidence linking these conditions to his military service.
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