The Veteran's tinnitus is denied as there was no in-service injury or disease, and continuity of symptomatology is not established.,Service connection for a respiratory disability manifested by shortness of breath is remanded due to the presence of additional service treatment records that may affect the VA examiner’s opinion.,The right knee disability is remanded as it may be aggravated by service.
The deciding factor: There was no in-service injury or disease noted for tinnitus, and continuity of symptomatology is not established. The Veteran's current diagnosis does not meet the criteria for a chronic disability within one year of separation.,The VA examiner’s opinion may be affected by additional service treatment records that document respiratory conditions during service.,The right knee disability was post-surgical scar noted on enlistment examination, and its aggravation by service is unclear without further evidence.
- Claimed conditions
- tinnitus, respiratory disability (manifested by shortness of breath), right knee disability
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 11, 2020
- Citation
- 20032804
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 20032804.
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 Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development, including a new VA examination to assess his bilateral knee and hip disabilities.
- 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.
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