The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including evaluations for degenerative joint disease of the thoracolumbar and cervical spines, bilateral hearing loss, migraine headaches, right and left carpal tunnel syndromes, and left arm numbness. The Veteran is also seeking service connection for these conditions.
The deciding factor: The Board found that there was insufficient information to make a decision on the Veteran's claims and ordered new VA examinations and the submission of private treatment records from the Collier Spine Institute.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative Joint Disease of the Thoracolumbar Spine, Degenerative Joint Disease of the Cervical Spine, Bilateral Hearing Loss, Migraine Headaches, Right Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (claimed as Cubital Tunnel Syndrome), Left Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (claimed as Cubital Tunnel Syndrome), Left Arm Numbness
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 8, 2020
- Citation
- 20024192
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 20024192.
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.
- Granted
The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is granted as service-connected. The claims for alcohol abuse and psychiatric disorder are remanded for additional development, including a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of these conditions.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the case due to a need for a new VA examination to assess the current severity of the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss. The issue remains under direct service connection theory.
- Denied
The Veteran's hearing loss was rated at 30 percent, the highest non-compensable rating available. The Board found that his hearing loss did not warrant a higher rating based on VA examinations and medical records.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that there was no evidence of a nexus between his current hearing loss and his active service. The Board noted that while he had complaints of earaches in service, these did not indicate a current disability.
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