The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was initially rated at 0 percent and has not been found to warrant a higher rating.,For sinusitis, the Veteran is currently assigned a 50 percent rating from June 15, 2019. The maximum schedular rating for sinusitis under Code 6513 has already been reached.,The case of entitlement to TDIU due to service-connected disabilities is being remanded.
The deciding factor: There was no evidence showing that the Veteran's hearing loss had increased in severity since his last examination, and thus a higher rating could not be assigned based on current medical findings.,The June 2019 VA-contract sinusitis examination did not find any radical surgery or chronic osteomyelitis following such surgery. The Veteran’s symptoms were described as near-constant but without the severity required for a higher rating under Code 6513.,The case of TDIU is being remanded because further development may reveal additional service-connected disabilities that could support an award.
- Claimed conditions
- bilateral hearing loss, sinusitis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- July 20, 2020
- Citation
- 20048292
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 20048292.
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.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeal for service connection of bilateral hearing loss and a ruptured right ear drum was dismissed due to the death of the Veteran.
- Denied
The Board found that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was noted upon entry into active duty service and did not increase in severity during service. Therefore, it denied his claim for service connection.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for bilateral hearing loss, migraine headaches, and PTSD due to additional development of records and examination.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss claim, specifically needing an addendum opinion from a VA examiner. The Veteran will be asked to provide any missing records and former employers' information.
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