The Board has determined that the Veteran's skin disability, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, sleep apnea, and heart condition are not related to service. The claims for these conditions are being remanded for further development.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner found no evidence of a current skin disability in service or within one year post-service, and the Veteran's current folliculitis is not related to his Gulf War service. For hearing loss and tinnitus, the VA examiner did not provide an opinion on whether military noise exposure caused the disabilities. For sleep apnea, the VA examiner found no link between the condition and Gulf War service. For heart disease, the VA examiner did not address direct service connection.
- Claimed conditions
- {"condition_name":"Skin Disability (Folliculitis)"}, {"condition_name":"Bilateral Hearing Loss"}, {"condition_name":"Tinnitus"}, {"condition_name":"Sleep Apnea"}, {"condition_name":"Heart Condition"}
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- June 27, 2019
- Citation
- 19150219
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.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, effective from the date of the February 2025 rating decision.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for a medical examination to determine if the Veteran's current neck strain is related to his in-service activities.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for a rating in excess of 70 percent for PTSD due to an inadequate medical opinion.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for myasthenia gravis based on the Veteran's exposure to hazardous substances during his military service.
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