The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for a compensable disability rating prior to July 21, 2016 and in excess of 10 percent thereafter for bilateral hearing loss. The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disability is remanded for further examination and opinion. TDIU is also remanded as it may be related to his service-connected acquired psychiatric disability.
The deciding factor: The decision was based on the current evidence of record, which did not provide sufficient information to determine if a compensable rating prior to July 21, 2016 or a higher rating thereafter for bilateral hearing loss is warranted. The acquired psychiatric disability and TDIU claims are remanded as they may be related to his service-connected acquired psychiatric disability.
- Claimed conditions
- bilateral hearing loss, acquired psychiatric disability
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 28, 2020
- Citation
- 20006970
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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