The Board has denied a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss and has remanded the service connection claims for colon cancer, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and peripheral neuropathy of multiple extremities. Further development is needed to determine if the Veteran was exposed to burn pits during his service at Camp Pendleton.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the evidence did not support a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss due to its severity. The claims for service connection were remanded as there was uncertainty regarding the Veteran's exposure to toxins or herbicides while stationed at Camp Pendleton.
- Claimed conditions
- bilateral hearing loss, colon cancer, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, peripheral neuropathy of the right upper extremity, peripheral neuropathy of the right lower extremity, peripheral neuropathy of the left upper extremity, peripheral neuropathy of the left lower extremity
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- Burn pits / airborne hazards
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 23, 2021
- Citation
- 21024528
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 21024528.
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for hypertension and peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper and lower extremities due to insufficient medical opinions regarding their etiology.
- 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 bilateral hearing loss, migraine headaches, and PTSD due to additional development of records and examination.
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