The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for OSA secondary to PTSD, initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss, and entitlement to TDIU prior to September 20, 2016. The Veteran's combined rating was 100% before September 20, 2016, but no single service-connected disability alone renders him entitled to TDIU prior to that date.
The deciding factor: The Board found no single service-connected disability alone rendered the Veteran entitled to TDIU prior to September 20, 2016. The issue of TDIU is moot from September 20, 2016 due to his receipt of a 100% rating for PTSD and SMC at the statutory housebound rate.
- Claimed conditions
- PTSD, Bilateral Hearing Loss, Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA)
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- June 4, 2020
- Citation
- 20038542
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 20038542.
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 Board of Veterans' Appeals has granted service connection for PTSD and Mood Disorders, both presumed conditions under the PACT Act.
- 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.
- Partly granted
The Board has not made a final determination on the claims of service connection for inguinal hernia, PTSD, joint pain, fibromyalgia, left knee disability, right knee disability, tinnitus, chronic fatigue syndrome, respiratory disability, sleep disorder, IBS, and headaches. The claims are remanded to obtain additional evidence and determine if these conditions are related to 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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