The Board has remanded the case for a new VA medical opinion to determine if the Veteran's pre-existing right ear hearing loss was aggravated by in-service noise exposure. The Veteran had a right ear hearing loss at entrance into active service, and recent audiological examinations show more severe hearing loss than what was recorded during service.
The deciding factor: The examiner is asked to consider whether the subsequent worsening of the Veteran's hearing loss may be due to in-service noise exposure, including from artillery and combat conditions in Vietnam.
- Claimed conditions
- Right ear hearing loss
- How they argued it
- Aggravation of a pre-existing condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 10, 2019
- Citation
- 19192105
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 19192105.
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.
- Partly granted
The Board granted a 20 percent rating for the Veteran's left knee strain, service connection for right ear hearing loss, and service connection for a right ankle disorder. Other claims were denied or remanded.
- Denied
The appeal for higher ratings and effective dates for various conditions was denied, with the exception of left and right lower extremity radiculopathy which were granted an earlier effective date.
- Partly granted
The Board granted an effective date of April 5, 2018, for the award of service connection for PTSD and denied earlier effective dates for erectile dysfunction, left ear hearing loss, migraines, and other conditions.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for degenerative joint disease and intervertebral disc syndrome, cervical spine; cervical spine radiculopathy, right upper extremity; coronary artery disease; and right ear hearing loss.
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