The Board has ordered a remand for the Veteran to be re-evaluated for his hearing loss disability, obtain outstanding VA treatment records and an opinion on his acquired psychiatric disability. The service connection claim for bilateral macular degeneration is also remanded.
The deciding factor: The decision was not explicitly about service connection but rather about obtaining new evidence and updating the Veteran's medical records to determine if there has been a change in his condition that warrants a higher rating or additional benefits.
- Claimed conditions
- Bilateral Hearing Loss, Acquired Psychiatric Disability (likely including depression, anxiety, panic disorders, and specific phobia), Bilateral Macular Degeneration
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 7, 2020
- Citation
- 20001220
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 remands the claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder to ensure a proper examination and etiology opinion are provided.
- Remanded (sent back)
The appeal is remanded for further development and consideration of the Veteran's claims for service connection for various acquired psychiatric disorders.
- 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.
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