The Veteran's claim for hepatitis C has been reopened, but the issue remains remanded. The initial rating for tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss is denied. An initial 40 percent rating for diabetes mellitus is granted. Service connection for prostate cancer residuals is granted at a 10 percent rating. Service connection for neuropathy of the bilateral upper extremities is denied.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's claim for hepatitis C was reopened due to new and material evidence, but further evaluation is needed as it remains remanded. The initial ratings for tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss are not supported by the evidence provided. Service connection for prostate cancer residuals has been granted at a 10 percent rating.
- Claimed conditions
- Hepatitis C, Tinnitus, Bilateral Hearing Loss, Type II Diabetes Mellitus, Prostate Cancer, Neuropathy of the Bilateral Upper Extremities
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 40%
- Decision date
- April 28, 2020
- Citation
- 20029941
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. Read the original VA decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 20029941.
What this means for you
A remand sends an issue back for more development, often a new examination or missing records. It does not award the benefit or decide the final outcome. The original decision explains the additional work ordered.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are not related to his military service.
- 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.
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