The Veteran's initial claim for an increased rating for service-connected bilateral hearing loss has been denied as his disability does not meet the criteria for a compensable rating.,Service connection for hypertension is remanded due to insufficient medical opinion regarding its relationship to a service-connected condition, specifically PTSD with major depressive disorder.,Service connection for a kidney disability and rheumatoid arthritis are both remanded due to insufficient medical opinions regarding their potential relation to in-service herbicide exposure.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for rheumatoid arthritis is also remanded as the VA examiner did not address whether it was related to in-service herbicide agent exposure.
The deciding factor: The evidence does not show that the Veteran’s bilateral hearing loss meets or approximates the criteria for a compensable disability rating under VA's compensation and pension schedule.,The VA examiner failed to provide an opinion regarding whether the hypertension is secondary to PTSD with major depressive disorder, which is necessary to determine if service connection can be granted.,The VA examiner did not address whether the Veteran’s kidney disability or rheumatoid arthritis are related to in-service herbicide exposure, as required by law and regulations.,The VA examiner failed to provide an opinion regarding whether the Veteran's rheumatoid arthritis is related to in-service herbicide agent exposure.
- Claimed conditions
- bilateral hearing loss, hypertension, kidney disability, rheumatoid arthritis
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 24, 2020
- Citation
- 20021094
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 20021094.
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).
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for headaches and increased ratings for left shoulder rotator cuff tear, right shoulder rotator cuff tear, hypertension, and left and right leg restless leg syndrome. The Board denied a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss and an initial rating in excess of 70 percent for posttraumatic stress disorder.
- 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).
- Granted
The Board granted an effective date of October 21, 2021, for the grant of service connection for hypertension.
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