The Board has denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, as well as left and right upper extremity disabilities. Service connection for lumbosacral strain and degenerative arthritis of the spine is remanded due to insufficient evidence regarding aggravation.
The deciding factor: The VA contract examiner found that the Veteran's back disability was aggravated by his military service, but this opinion is inadequate as it does not address whether the pre-existing condition worsened during service. The Board therefore finds that a new examination and opinion are needed to determine if the Veteran’s pre-existing back injury was permanently worsened beyond its natural progression.
- Claimed conditions
- bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, left upper extremity disability, right upper extremity disability, lumbosacral strain and degenerative arthritis of the spine
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 3, 2020
- Citation
- A20017935
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,287 · 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 A20017935.
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's appeal for service connection of bilateral hearing loss and a ruptured right ear drum was dismissed due to the death of the Veteran.
- Denied
The Board found that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was noted upon entry into active duty service and did not increase in severity during service. Therefore, it denied his claim for service connection.
- 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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