The Veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for tinnitus is remanded due to an inadequate August 2019 medical opinion and the need for a VA examination/medical opinion regarding the relationship between tinnitus and migraine headaches.
The deciding factor: The August 2019 medical opinion did not consider the Veteran’s lay assertions about the onset of symptoms and post-service noise exposure, nor did it provide an opinion on presumptive service connection due to noise exposure. The Board also finds a need for a VA examination/medical opinion regarding whether tinnitus is proximately due or aggravated by service-connected migraine headaches.
- Claimed conditions
- tinnitus
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 12, 2019
- Citation
- A19002673
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 A19002673.
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 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.
- 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 tinnitus, cubital tunnel syndrome, right plantar fasciitis, and a right knee disability due to the lack of evidence supporting a nexus between these conditions and the Veteran's military service.
- Granted
The Board granted an effective date of April 25, 2022, for the award of service connection for tinnitus and a 100 percent initial rating for PTSD with alcohol use disorder.
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