The Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, OSA, lumbar spine strain, migraine headaches, and duodenal ulcer were denied. The claim for increased rating of right lower extremity radiculopathy was remanded. Service connection for chronic fatigue, hypertension, hepatitis C, and an acquired psychiatric disorder (depressive disorder with anxious distress) is also remanded.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's hearing loss and tinnitus are not related to his active duty service, as evidenced by the absence of a shift in auditory thresholds during or after service. There is no evidence of OSA, chronic fatigue, hypertension, hepatitis C, or an acquired psychiatric disorder (depressive disorder with anxious distress) being related to his active duty service.
- Claimed conditions
- Bilateral Hearing Loss, Duodenal Ulcer, Left Lower Extremity Radiculopathy, associated with Lumbar Spine Strain, Lumbar Spine Strain, Migraine Headaches, Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA), Right Lower Extremity Radiculopathy, associated with Lumbar Spine Strain, Tinnitus
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- May 14, 2019
- Citation
- 19137350
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,934 · Granted: 41% (granted or partly granted, in the indexed decisions on this site)
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
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 19137350.
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
Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are not related to his military service.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is granted as service-connected. The claims for alcohol abuse and psychiatric disorder are remanded for additional development, including a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of these conditions.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the case due to a need for a new VA examination to assess the current severity of the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss. The issue remains under direct service connection theory.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Veteran's hearing loss was rated at 30 percent, the highest non-compensable rating available. The Board found that his hearing loss did not warrant a higher rating based on VA examinations and medical records.
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