The Veteran's tinnitus is granted as service-connected.,Service connection for PTSD and an acquired psychiatric disability are denied.,Left lower extremity peripheral neuropathy and right lower extremity peripheral neuropathy are remanded due to insufficient evidence of in-service injury or causation.,Bilateral hearing loss is remanded due to insufficient evidence of in-service noise exposure.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's tinnitus began during service, resolving reasonable doubt in his favor.,There is no current diagnosis of PTSD or an acquired psychiatric disability. The Veteran has not provided sufficient evidence to establish a nexus between the claimed conditions and service.,The VA examiner did not provide adequate rationale for their opinion regarding peripheral neuropathy, thus requiring further examination.,The VA examiner did not provide adequate rationale for their opinion regarding hearing loss, thus requiring further examination.
- Claimed conditions
- tinnitus, acquired psychiatric disability (to include PTSD), left lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, right lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, bilateral hearing loss
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 23, 2020
- Citation
- 20074853
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 remands the claim for service connection for tinnitus to correct a duty to assist error, as the Veteran's lay statements regarding onset and continuity of symptoms were not adequately considered in the previous decision.
- Dismissed
The Veteran withdrew the appeals for service connection for bilateral pes planus, obstructive sleep apnea, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for tinnitus, cubital tunnel syndrome, right plantar fasciitis, and a right knee disability due to the lack of evidence supporting a nexus between these conditions and the Veteran's military service.
- Granted
The Board granted an effective date of April 25, 2022, for the award of service connection for tinnitus and a 100 percent initial rating for PTSD with alcohol use disorder.
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