The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the Veteran's claims for service connection for tinnitus, left ear hearing loss, and right ear hearing loss. However, a remand is necessary as the July 2014 VA examination did not provide an opinion regarding whether the Veteran’s tinnitus is secondary to his service-connected sinusitis.
The deciding factor: The July 2014 VA examiner was unable to provide a medical opinion without resorting to speculation due to lack of separation examination data, and thus a remand is needed for another opinion on the etiology of the Veteran's tinnitus.
- Claimed conditions
- tinnitus, left ear hearing loss, right ear hearing loss
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 25, 2019
- Citation
- 19106119
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 appeal for a compensable rating for left ear hearing loss, service connection for right ear hearing loss, and bilateral vision condition was dismissed. Service connection for hypertension, congestive heart failure, and coronary artery disease was denied.
- 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.
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