The Board has denied service connection for a low back disorder, finding that the Veteran's current condition is not related to his in-service injury. The hearing loss and peripheral neuropathy claims are remanded due to inadequate VA examination.,Service connection for bilateral hearing loss is remanded as there is insufficient evidence regarding its onset during active duty.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the Veteran's current low back disorder did not manifest within a year of service and was not shown to be chronic in service. The VA examiner opined that any current condition is less likely related to his presumed in-service injury.,The June 2019 VA examination for hearing loss was inadequate, as it failed to address the Veteran's contention that his hearing loss began after an in-service mine accident.
- Claimed conditions
- Low Back Disorder, Bilateral Hearing Loss, Peripheral Neuropathy of Upper Extremities (secondary to diabetes mellitus), Peripheral Neuropathy of Lower Extremities (secondary to diabetes mellitus)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 3, 2019
- Citation
- 19190808
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 19190808.
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 bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's conditions are related to in-service noise exposure.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss, an initial rating in excess of 50 percent for PTSD, entitlement to TDIU, and SMC based on housebound status.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for asbestosis, bronchitis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), rhinitis, sinusitis, and asthma. The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was also denied a compensable rating.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for various disabilities and denied higher ratings for several service-connected conditions.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.