The Board has determined that the Veteran's tinnitus, left ear hearing loss, and other conditions are service-connected. However, several issues related to knee conditions, pulmonary embolism, deep vein thrombosis (DVT), phlebitis, bronchitis, undiagnosed illness, and fatigue have been remanded for further evaluation due to the need for additional medical examinations.
The deciding factor: The VA examinations provided were inadequate as they did not address all of the Veteran's claims or provide a clear etiology opinion regarding his symptoms and conditions.
- Claimed conditions
- tinnitus, left ear hearing loss, left knee condition, right knee condition, pulmonary embolism, back condition, deep vein thrombosis (DVT), phlebitis, bronchitis, undiagnosed illness (chronic cough and wheezing due to service in the Persian Gulf), fatigue
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- Gulf War
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 19, 2021
- Citation
- 21022923
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 21022923.
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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