The Veteran's tinnitus was granted service connection. The claims for neck, right ankle, left ankle, left shoulder, and right shoulder disabilities are remanded due to the need for additional development. The claim of skin disability of the hands is also remanded. The loss of sense of smell claim requires further examination.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner could not provide a definitive opinion on whether any current disabilities were related to service without resorting to speculation, necessitating further examination and review of medical records.
- Claimed conditions
- tinnitus, neck disability, right ankle disability, left ankle disability, left shoulder disability, right shoulder disability, skin disability of the hands, loss of sense of smell
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 7, 2020
- Citation
- 20010345
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. Read the original VA decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 20010345.
What this means for you
A remand sends an issue back for more development, often a new examination or missing records. It does not award the benefit or decide the final outcome. The original decision explains the additional work ordered.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's right shoulder disability and migraines/chronic headaches are remanded for additional development due to insufficient opinions on the etiology of her conditions.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has expanded the scope of the claim to include any mental health disorder raised by the record and has remanded for additional development regarding service connection for left leg, ankle, and psychiatric disabilities.
- 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.
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