The Veteran's appeal of his claim for a rating in excess of 10 percent for service-connected tinnitus has been withdrawn.,The RO is directed to obtain updated VA treatment records and SSA records, as well as any missing service treatment records from the David Grant Medical Center and NPRC.,VA should request that the Veteran submit any outstanding evidence regarding his claimed in-service exposure to dead bodies and race riots at Travis Air Force Base. The RO should also request a Statement in Support of Claim for PTSD Secondary to Personal Assault, and provide adequate notice as to such claim.,The RO should afford the Veteran new VA examinations for his acquired psychiatric disorders (PTSD, depressive disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder), TBI, migraine headaches, TMJ, cervical spine disabilities, lumbar spine disability, right upper extremity disability, and right lower extremity disability. Adequate etiological opinions are needed.,The RO should afford the Veteran VA examinations for his cervical and lumbar spine disabilities, as well as a new VA examination for his right upper extremity disability (right shoulder and arm pain and numbness, right hand disability).,The RO should afford the Veteran VA examinations for his right lower extremity disability. Adequate etiological opinions are needed.
The deciding factor: The Veteran withdrew his appeal of his claim for a rating in excess of 10 percent for service-connected tinnitus.,Missing records need to be obtained from various sources, including the David Grant Medical Center and NPRC.,Evidence regarding the Veteran's claimed in-service exposure needs to be requested from the SSA and other sources. A Statement in Support of Claim for PTSD Secondary to Personal Assault should also be provided.,VA examinations are needed to determine the current severity of the Veteran’s acquired psychiatric disorders, TBI, migraine headaches, TMJ, cervical spine disabilities, lumbar spine disability, right upper extremity disability, and right lower extremity disability. Adequate etiological opinions are required.,VA examinations are needed for the Veteran's cervical and lumbar spine disabilities, as well as a new VA examination for his right upper extremity disability (right shoulder and arm pain and numbness, right hand disability).,VA examinations are needed for the Veteran’s right lower extremity disability. Adequate etiological opinions are required.
- Claimed conditions
- tinnitus, bilateral hearing loss, acquired psychiatric disorder (PTSD, depressive disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder), traumatic brain injury (TBI), claimed as residuals, head injury, migraine headaches, temporomandibular joint syndrome (TMJ), lumbar spine disability, cervical spine disability, cervical radiculopathy, right upper extremity disability (right shoulder and arm pain and numbness, right hand disability), right lower extremity disability (loss of balance, right knee and leg pain, right hip disability)
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- August 15, 2019
- Citation
- 19163556
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,977 · Granted: 27% (granted or partly granted, in the vetted 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. Look up the original decision on VA.gov (opens in a new tab) using citation 19163556.
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 Veteran's appeal for service connection of bilateral hearing loss and a ruptured right ear drum was dismissed due to the death of the Veteran.
- Denied
The Board found that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was noted upon entry into active duty service and did not increase in severity during service. Therefore, it denied his claim for service connection.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for hearing loss, tinnitus, and an acquired psychiatric disorder due to incomplete medical records and need for further examination.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for tinnitus, arthritis, and memory loss. The decision found no evidence linking these conditions to his military service.
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