The Veteran's tinnitus is granted as service-connected.,The Veteran’s GERD may be related to his military service and exposure to chemicals in service. Further examination and opinion are needed.,The Veteran's back disability may be related to his military service and exposure to chemicals in service. Further examination and opinion are needed.,The Veteran's bilateral knee disability may be related to his military service and exposure to chemicals in service. Further examination and opinion are needed.,The Veteran's neck disability may be related to his military service and exposure to chemicals in service. Further examination and opinion are needed.,The Veteran's right elbow disability may be related to his military service and exposure to chemicals in service. Further examination and opinion are needed.,Further examination and opinion are needed for the Veteran’s bilateral hearing loss.
The deciding factor: Reasonable doubt is resolved in favor of the Veteran regarding tinnitus as he has provided competent, credible, and probative statements regarding specific noise exposure during service.,The earliest records of treatment for GERD are from 2003. Without further evidence, it is less likely that his GERD is related to military service.,Without further comprehensive physical testing, laboratory tests, and/or satisfactory medical evidence, the VA examiner would be unable to provide an opinion without resorting to mere speculation.,The earliest records of treatment for bilateral knee disability are from 2003. Without further evidence, it is less likely that his bilateral knee disability is related to military service.,Without further comprehensive physical testing, laboratory tests, and/or satisfactory medical evidence, the VA examiner would be unable to provide an opinion without resorting to mere speculation.,The earliest records of treatment for right elbow disability are from 2003. Without further evidence, it is less likely that his right elbow disability is related to military service.,Further examination and opinion are needed as there are no current audiological results in the claims file.
- Claimed conditions
- tinnitus, GERD, back disability, bilateral knee disability, neck disability, right elbow disability, bilateral hearing loss
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 16, 2021
- Citation
- 21015194
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 21015194.
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.
- 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.
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