The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's service connection claims, including tinnitus, alcohol abuse, traumatic brain injury, hypertension, obstructive sleep apnea, right hip condition, left hip osteoarthritis, right sciatica, left sciatica, bilateral leg disability, and an acquired psychiatric disability. The decision also denied a request for an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for tinnitus.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's claims were remanded due to incomplete records and need for additional examinations to determine the nature and etiology of his disabilities.
- Claimed conditions
- tinnitus, alcohol abuse, traumatic brain injury, hypertension (high blood pressure), obstructive sleep apnea, right hip condition, left hip osteoarthritis, right sciatica, left sciatica, bilateral leg disability, acquired psychiatric disability (to include posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and anxiety)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 21, 2020
- Citation
- 20004478
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,669 · Granted: 23% (granted or partly granted, in the vetted decisions on this site)
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
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 20004478.
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 has remanded the claims for service connection for hearing loss, tinnitus, and an acquired psychiatric disorder due to incomplete medical records and need for further examination.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for tinnitus, arthritis, and memory loss. The decision found no evidence linking these conditions to his military service.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, finding that there is no competent evidence to support a finding that his current condition began in or as a result of service.
- Granted
The Veteran's tinnitus is granted as service connected. The issues of foot disability and cardiovascular disorder are remanded for additional development.
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