The Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus is granted, with the Board finding that the evidence in equipoise as to whether it had its onset during active duty service.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD is remanded due to inadequate VA examinations from April and May 2019. The Court held that these examinations did not fully consider the Veteran's prior medical history, particularly his conceded in-service stressor of a mountain bike accident.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the evidence was approximately evenly balanced on this issue, as the reasonable doubt created by this relative equipoise in the evidence must be resolved in favor of the Veteran.,The Court held that the VA examinations did not fully consider the Veteran's prior medical history and conceded stressor.
- Claimed conditions
- tinnitus, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), right knee bursitis with patellofemoral syndrome status post lateral meniscal repair and degenerative arthritis (medial compartment joint space narrowing), left knee bursitis with patellofemoral syndrome
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 9, 2021
- Citation
- A21018057
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 A21018057.
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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and major depressive disorder, is being remanded due to the need for additional development regarding his alleged stressors.
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