The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are remanded for further examination to determine their etiology.,The Veteran's sleep apnea is remanded for a VA examination to determine its relationship to his service-connected PTSD.,The Veteran's hypertension, colon polyps, GERD, Barrett’s esophagus, gall bladder removal, left foot disability, right foot disability, eye disability (diabetic retinopathy), and kidney stones are all remanded for further examination to determine their etiology and whether they are related to his service-connected diabetes mellitus.,The Veteran's claimed conditions of hearing loss, tinnitus, sleep apnea, hypertension, colon polyps, GERD, Barrett’s esophagus, gall bladder removal, left foot disability, right foot disability, eye disability (diabetic retinopathy), and kidney stones are all remanded for further examination to determine their etiology.,The Veteran's service connection claims related to hearing loss, tinnitus, sleep apnea, hypertension, colon polyps, GERD, Barrett’s esophagus, gall bladder removal, left foot disability, right foot disability, eye disability (diabetic retinopathy), and kidney stones are all remanded for further examination.
The deciding factor: The July 2015 VA examiner's opinion on the etiology of the Veteran’s bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus was inadequate due to reliance on normal hearing at separation from service.,The Veteran did not specify when his tinnitus began, so a new examination is needed for him to provide this information.,A VA examination is needed to determine if there is any relationship between the Veteran's sleep apnea and his service-connected PTSD.,VA examinations are needed to determine whether the Veteran’s hypertension and colon polyps are related to herbicide exposure or diabetes mellitus, as well as whether they are secondary to diabetes mellitus.,A VA examination is needed to determine if the Veteran's GERD, Barrett’s esophagus, gall bladder removal, left foot disability, right foot disability, eye disability (diabetic retinopathy), and kidney stones are related to his service-connected diabetes mellitus.
- Claimed conditions
- bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, sleep apnea, hypertension, colon polyps, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), Barrett's esophagus, gall bladder removal, left foot disability, right foot disability, eye disability (diabetic retinopathy), kidney stones
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 28, 2020
- Citation
- 20069834
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 granted an effective date of October 21, 2021, for the grant of service connection for hypertension.
- Dismissed
The appeal for a compensable rating for left ear hearing loss, service connection for right ear hearing loss, and bilateral vision condition was dismissed. Service connection for hypertension, congestive heart failure, and coronary artery disease was denied.
- Dismissed
The Veteran withdrew his appeals for service connection for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and pernicious anemia, and the Board dismissed both appeals.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including prostate cancer and related disabilities, urinary incontinence, sleep apnea, hypertension, varicose veins, lumbar spine disability, hip arthritis, shoulder arthritis, ankle arthritis, knee strain, knee replacement, and hand arthritis. The only condition granted was a 10 percent rating for a fracture of the right proximal first metacarpal.
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