The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates and service connection are being remanded due to procedural issues. The Veteran's tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss were granted service connection with an effective date of May 27, 2014. Service connection for hypothyroidism, hypertension, migraine headaches, erectile dysfunction, and sleep apnea is denied as the evidence does not support a link between these conditions and service.
The deciding factor: The Board found that there was no clear and unmistakable error in assigning an earlier effective date of May 27, 2014 for tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss. Service connection for hypothyroidism, hypertension, migraine headaches, erectile dysfunction, and sleep apnea is denied as the evidence does not support a link between these conditions and service.
- Claimed conditions
- tinnitus, bilateral hearing loss, hypothyroidism (thyroid disorder), hypertension, migraine headaches, claimed as secondary to service-connected posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), erectile dysfunction, claimed as secondary to service-connected PTSD, sleep apnea, claimed as secondary to service-connected PTSD
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 13, 2018
- Citation
- 18157509
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 18157509.
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for hypertension and peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper and lower extremities due to insufficient medical opinions regarding their etiology.
- 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.
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