The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability is denied as there is no evidence of a nexus between the current disability and service.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus is denied as there is no evidence of a nexus between the current disability and service.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for left thumb disability is remanded to allow for further examination.
The deciding factor: There is no medical evidence linking the current bilateral hearing loss disability or tinnitus to service. The Board finds that the preponderance of the evidence is against these claims.,The Veteran's claim for tinnitus is denied as there is no evidence of a nexus between the current disability and service. The Board finds that the in-service noise exposure did not cause the Veteran's tinnitus, which began approximately 15 years after service discharge.,The Veteran's left thumb disability may be related to service but requires further examination to determine if it is at least as likely as not that the current disability has its onset during service.
- Claimed conditions
- bilateral hearing loss disability, tinnitus, left thumb disability
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 31, 2020
- Citation
- 20022124
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 20022124.
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 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.
- Granted
The Veteran's tinnitus is granted as service connected. The issues of foot disability and cardiovascular disorder are remanded for additional development.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, finding that it is at least as likely as not that the Veteran experienced tinnitus during his active duty service.
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