The Board has decided one issue on appeal and remanded the remaining issues for further development. Additional development is necessary, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling a VA examination.
The deciding factor: Additional development is needed to ensure all relevant evidence is considered in the decision-making process.
- Claimed conditions
- diabetes mellitus, hypertensive vascular disease (previously claimed as high blood pressure), bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, cervical spine disorder, lumbar spine disorder, bilateral shoulder disorder, bilateral elbow arthritis, bilateral wrist arthritis, left ankle disorder, bilateral upper extremity and lower extremity neuropathy (claimed as secondary to diabetes mellitus), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), obstructive sleep apnea, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), an acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 5, 2021
- Citation
- 21000441
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 21000441.
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 service connection for hearing loss, tinnitus, and an acquired psychiatric disorder due to incomplete medical records and need for further examination.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorders, including bipolar disorder and PTSD. The Veteran will be asked to provide additional medical records and undergo a VA examination.
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