The Board has denied service connection for right ear hearing loss and left ear hearing loss due to lack of a current diagnosis. The Veteran's flat feet are remanded as the VA examiner did not adequately address whether they were aggravated by service.,The Board has denied entitlement to a compensable disability rating for left ear hearing loss. The Veteran's flat feet are remanded as the VA examiner did not provide an opinion on their etiology.,The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for flat feet, right knee condition (secondary to service-connected left knee condition), back condition, and right shoulder condition. The right middle finger laceration residual claim is also remanded.,The VA examiner was asked to determine if the Veteran's right knee condition is secondary to his service-connected left knee condition. The examiner must provide an opinion on whether it is at least as likely as not that any currently diagnosed back, right shoulder and right shoulder scar disabilities are related to in-service injuries.,The VA examiner was asked to determine if the Veteran's right middle finger laceration residual is related to an in-service injury, event or disease. The examiner must provide an opinion on whether it is at least as likely as not that any currently diagnosed back, right shoulder and right shoulder scar disabilities are related to in-service injuries.
The deciding factor: The Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of right ear hearing loss for VA disability purposes.,The Veteran's left ear hearing has been manifested by hearing acuity of no worse than Level I in the right ear and no worse than Level II in the left ear. The Board cannot make a fully-informed decision on the claim because no VA examiner has adequately opined whether the Veteran’s preexisting flat feet were aggravated by his active duty service.,The claims for flat feet, right knee condition (secondary to service-connected left knee condition), back condition, and right shoulder condition are remanded as the VA examiner did not provide an opinion on their etiology. The right middle finger laceration residual claim is also remanded.,The Veteran's right knee condition may be secondary to his service-connected left knee condition. The Board cannot make a fully-informed decision on the claims because no VA examiner has adequately opined whether any currently diagnosed back, right shoulder and right shoulder scar disabilities are related to in-service injuries.,The right middle finger laceration residual is remanded as the Veteran's right middle finger laceration residuals may be related to an in-service injury.
- Claimed conditions
- Right ear hearing loss, Left ear hearing loss, Flat feet, Right knee condition, Back condition, Right shoulder condition, Right middle finger laceration residual
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- September 21, 2020
- Citation
- 20062002
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 20062002.
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 further development due to insufficient evidence and need for additional examinations.
- Dismissed
The appeal for service connection for a right ear hearing loss disability is dismissed. The appeal for service connection for bilateral knee disabilities is denied.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's right knee condition as secondary to his service-connected right ankle condition.
- Denied
The Board has determined that the Veteran's left ear hearing loss disability does not meet or approximate criteria for a compensable (10%) disability rating at any point during the appeal period.
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