The Veteran's claims for service connection have been remanded due to new evidence received. His bilateral hearing loss claim is reopened, but additional development is needed. The compensable rating and increased rating claims are also remanded.
The deciding factor: New evidence has been submitted that may support the reopening of the Veteran’s previously denied bilateral hearing loss claim. However, further examination and evaluation are required to determine appropriate ratings for his other conditions.
- Claimed conditions
- Bilateral Hearing Loss, Condyloma Acuminata (Genital Warts), Pseudofolliculitis Barbae, Acquired Psychiatric Disability (including Posttraumatic Stress Disorder), Tinnitus
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 7, 2020
- Citation
- 20032196
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 20032196.
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.
- 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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