The Veteran's tinnitus and mandibular disability have been granted service connection. The lumbar spine, right shoulder, left shoulder, and bilateral foot conditions are being remanded for further review.,Service connection has been established for the Veteran's tinnitus and mandibular disability. Further examination is needed to determine if his current lumbar spine, right shoulder, left shoulder, and bilateral foot conditions are related to service.
The deciding factor: The Board found that there was sufficient evidence to establish a connection between the Veteran’s tinnitus and mandibular disability and his active duty service. However, further examination is needed for the lumbar spine, right shoulder, left shoulder, and bilateral foot conditions.,Further medical opinions are required to determine if any of the Veteran's current lumbar spine, right shoulder, left shoulder, or bilateral foot conditions are related to his active duty service.
- Claimed conditions
- tinnitus, mandibular disability manifested by bruxism and pain, lumbar spine disability, right shoulder condition to include degenerative joint disease, left shoulder condition to include degenerative joint disease, bilateral foot condition other than degenerative joint disease to include pes cavus
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- July 24, 2020
- Citation
- 20049448
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 20049448.
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 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.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, finding that it is at least as likely as not that the Veteran experienced tinnitus during his active duty service.
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