The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral tinnitus is granted. The Board finds that the preponderance of the evidence supports a finding that the Veteran has current bilateral tinnitus and that it is related to his in-service noise exposure.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hip radiculopathy is denied. The Board finds that there is no current diagnosis of bilateral hip radiculopathy, and therefore cannot grant service connection.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for a right foot disability is remanded. Further investigation into the Veteran's in-service injury and any relevant medical records are needed to determine if his current symptoms are related to service.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for a lower left leg disability is remanded. The Board finds that further examination and testing, including nerve conduction studies, are necessary to determine if there is a relationship between the Veteran's service-connected degenerative arthritis of the spine and any diagnosed lower left leg disorder.
The deciding factor: The preponderance of evidence supports a finding that the Veteran has current bilateral tinnitus and it is related to his in-service noise exposure.,There is no current diagnosis of bilateral hip radiculopathy, and therefore cannot grant service connection.,Further investigation into the Veteran's in-service injury and any relevant medical records are needed to determine if his current symptoms are related to service.,Further examination and testing, including nerve conduction studies, are necessary to determine if there is a relationship between the Veteran's service-connected degenerative arthritis of the spine and any diagnosed lower left leg disorder.
- Claimed conditions
- bilateral tinnitus, bilateral hip radiculopathy, right foot disability, lower left leg disability
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- September 5, 2019
- Citation
- 19168699
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 19168699.
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for left toe amputation, triple bypass surgery, blockage in legs, and bilateral tinnitus due to procedural errors and the need for additional medical opinions regarding potential exposure to toxins during service.
- Granted
The Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea is granted as secondary to his service-connected major depressive disorder.,The Veteran's bilateral tinnitus is granted based on in-service noise exposure and current diagnosis.,The Veteran's Non-Hodgkin lymphoma is granted due to presumptive service connection for exposure at Fort McClellan, Alabama.,The Veteran's status post total shoulder replacement, to include degenerative arthritis, is granted as incurred in service.,The Veteran's scar, residual right shoulder surgery, is granted as it is related to his now service-connected status post total shoulder replacement.
- Denied
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him so helpless as to require the regular aid and attendance of another person, but his service-connected persistent depressive disorder alone rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation. The Board has granted SMC at the housebound rate.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for bilateral tinnitus and normocytic anemia as secondary to service-connected chronic hemorrhoids. The claim of entitlement to service connection for left inguinal hernia is remanded due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error.
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