The Veteran's appeal for higher ratings on several service-connected conditions has been remanded due to the need for additional VA examinations and evaluations. The issues include tinnitus, bilateral hearing loss, generalized anxiety disorder with major depression prior to April 11, 2016, sleep apnea, GERD, right wrist sprain, psoriasis, diabetes, ankle sprain, knee disorder, foot disorder, leg disorders, chest disorder, head injury residuals, and vocal chords disorder. The current ratings are not sufficient for these conditions.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's appeal is remanded as the current ratings do not adequately reflect the severity of his service-connected conditions due to the need for additional evaluations and examinations.
- Claimed conditions
- tinnitus, bilateral hearing loss, generalized anxiety disorder with major depression, sleep apnea, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), right wrist sprain with avascular necrosis, status post removal of necrotic bone, psoriasis, diabetes, right ankle sprain, right knee disorder, right foot disorder, bilateral leg disorder, chest disorder, residuals of head injury including scar, vocal chords disorder
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 10, 2019
- Citation
- 19177796
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 withdrew his appeals for service connection for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and pernicious anemia, and the Board dismissed both appeals.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including prostate cancer and related disabilities, urinary incontinence, sleep apnea, hypertension, varicose veins, lumbar spine disability, hip arthritis, shoulder arthritis, ankle arthritis, knee strain, knee replacement, and hand arthritis. The only condition granted was a 10 percent rating for a fracture of the right proximal first metacarpal.
- 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 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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