The Board has determined that additional development is needed for the Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss, left foot residuals of cold injury, right foot residuals of cold injury, and an acquired psychiatric disorder claimed as post-traumatic stress disorder with severe depression. The case is being remanded to allow for further examination and consideration.
The deciding factor: The Board finds that the Veteran has not been afforded a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of his bilateral feet condition and acquired psychiatric disorders, which is necessary due to the complexity of these claims and the need to consider the continuity of symptomatology and service connection based on active duty service.
- Claimed conditions
- bilateral hearing loss, left foot residuals of cold injury, right foot residuals of cold injury, anxiety disorder (claimed as PTSD and depression)
- How they argued it
- Reopened with new and material evidence
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 22, 2019
- Citation
- 19188474
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 19188474.
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 the appeals for service connection for bilateral pes planus, obstructive sleep apnea, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for multiple conditions, including bilateral hearing loss and various musculoskeletal issues, as well as an initial rating in excess of 0 percent for rhinitis. However, the Board granted a 70 percent rating for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
- Partly granted
The Veteran's tinnitus is granted, while fibromyalgia, internal or external hemorrhoids, bilateral hearing loss, and neuropathy are denied.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding it at least as likely as not related to the Veteran's in-service noise exposure.
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