The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied as he does not have sufficient hearing loss in either ear to be considered a ratable disability.,The Veteran's claims for service connection for chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and diverticulitis are remanded due to inadequate VA examination findings and the need for an addendum opinion addressing etiology, pathophysiology, and whether the cluster of symptoms constitutes a MUCMI.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for scarring from abdominal surgery secondary to diverticulitis is also remanded as it is inextricably intertwined with the claims for CFS, IBS, and diverticulitis.
The deciding factor: The VA examination did not show sufficient hearing loss in either ear to be considered a ratable disability.,The VA examiner failed to provide an adequate opinion regarding the etiology and pathophysiology of the Veteran's claimed conditions, including whether they constitute a MUCMI.,These claims are intertwined with the service connection claims for CFS, IBS, and diverticulitis.
- Claimed conditions
- bilateral hearing loss, chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), diverticulitis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- August 26, 2020
- Citation
- 20056473
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 20056473.
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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