The claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, left knee disability, right knee disability, right hip disability, low back disability, and hypertension are all remanded due to the need for additional development.
The deciding factor: Additional medical examination is required to address the etiology of these disabilities, particularly in light of obesity as a potential intermediate step between service-connected bilateral plantar fasciitis and the claimed conditions.
- Claimed conditions
- Bilateral Hearing Loss, Tinnitus, Left Knee Disability (including as secondary to bilateral plantar fasciitis), Right Knee Disability (including as secondary to bilateral plantar fasciitis), Right Hip Disability (including as secondary to bilateral plantar fasciitis), Low Back Disability (including as secondary to bilateral plantar fasciitis), Hypertension
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 27, 2020
- Citation
- 20036308
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 20036308.
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.
- Denied
The Board denied the claim of service connection for hypertension, finding that it did not manifest during service and is not causally related to the Veteran's exposure to herbicides or service.
- 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.
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