The Veteran's tinnitus and diabetes mellitus, type II are granted service connection. Service connection for bilateral hearing loss, lumbosacral strain with degenerative arthritis (claimed as lower lumbar condition), right foot condition, and left foot condition is denied.,Service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II is granted. Service connection for tinnitus, bilateral hearing loss, lumbosacral strain with degenerative arthritis (claimed as lower lumbar condition), right foot condition, and left foot condition is denied.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's service records show exposure to noise during active duty which led to current tinnitus. Service connection for this condition is granted.,While the Veteran served in a MOS that likely exposed him to noise, his hearing loss was not shown at separation and no compensable degree of hearing loss has been demonstrated within one year of discharge. The Board finds service connection for bilateral hearing loss denied.
- Claimed conditions
- tinnitus, bilateral hearing loss, diabetes mellitus, type II, lumbosacral strain with degenerative arthritis (claimed as lower lumbar condition), right foot condition, left foot condition
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 27, 2020
- Citation
- 20021908
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 20021908.
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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