The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for left ear sensorineural hearing loss and tinnitus due to a need for new nexus opinions addressing in-service noise exposure, including from the 2006 Institute of Medicine report on delayed-onset hearing loss and the Veteran's own study related to tinnitus.
The deciding factor: The Board found that there was insufficient evidence regarding the onset and cause of the Veteran's sensorineural hearing loss and tinnitus due to conflicting noise exposure claims, necessitating a new opinion from a VA examiner.
- Claimed conditions
- left ear sensorineural hearing loss, tinnitus
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 3, 2021
- Citation
- 21006241
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 21006241.
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 service connection for hearing loss, tinnitus, and an acquired psychiatric disorder due to incomplete medical records and need for further examination.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for tinnitus, arthritis, and memory loss. The decision found no evidence linking these conditions to his military service.
- Granted
The Veteran's tinnitus is granted as service connected. The issues of foot disability and cardiovascular disorder are remanded for additional development.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, finding that it is at least as likely as not that the Veteran experienced tinnitus during his active duty service.
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