The Board has denied service connection for tinnitus and remanded the issue of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder. The Veteran's claim for tinnitus is denied due to lack of evidence linking it to his military service, while the psychiatric disorders are remanded for further examination.
The deciding factor: The Board found that there was no evidence linking the Veteran’s tinnitus to his military service and relied on the absence of medical findings of any diagnosis or treatment of a tinnitus for many years after service. For the psychiatric disorders, the Board noted the lack of VA examinations and remanded for further evaluation.
- Claimed conditions
- tinnitus, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), bipolar disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, major depressive disorder, mood disorder, attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- June 6, 2019
- Citation
- 19143804
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.
- Partly granted
The Veteran was granted a 70 percent initial disability rating for PTSD effective December 2, 2021, but the claim for an increased rating in excess of 70 percent was denied. The appeal also included claims for service connection and ratings for various conditions, some of which were granted while others were remanded.
- 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 claim for an earlier effective date for service connection for major depressive disorder is dismissed as moot because the earliest effective date was granted during the pendency of this appeal.
- 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).
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