The Board has denied service connection for tinnitus due to lack of a current diagnosis. The claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder is remanded as the VA opinion obtained prior to the July 2019 rating decision did not adequately address the Veteran's diagnoses of unspecified depressive disorder and unspecified anxiety disorder, which are related to his service in Korea.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner did not consider the Veteran’s VA treatment records that included diagnoses of unspecified depressive disorder and unspecified anxiety disorder, and thus a more thorough opinion is required.
- Claimed conditions
- tinnitus, unspecified major neurocognitive disorder, PTSD, unspecified depressive disorder, unspecified anxiety disorder
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 14, 2020
- Citation
- A20015533
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.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for PTSD, generalized anxiety disorder, and somatic symptom disorder, as well as presumptive service connection for basal cell carcinoma under the PACT Act. Service connection was denied for chronic fatigue syndrome, irritable bowel syndrome, right restless leg syndrome, left restless leg syndrome, an increased rating for psychiatric disorder, bilateral hearing loss, a left forehead surgical scar, and allergic rhinitis.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for service connection for tinnitus to correct a duty to assist error, as the Veteran's lay statements regarding onset and continuity of symptoms were not adequately considered in the previous decision.
- 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).
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This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.