The Board has granted nonservice-connected pension benefits from June 2, 2009 to August 18, 2017. The issues of entitlement to a compensable evaluation for service-connected bilateral hearing loss disability and service connection for psychiatric disorder (including Posttraumatic Stress Disorder) and residuals of traumatic brain injury are remanded.
The deciding factor: The evidence is in equipoise that the Veteran was permanently and totally disabled from nonservice-connected disabilities on June 2, 2009, the date of claim. The Board also found a need for additional examinations to determine the current severity of his service-connected bilateral hearing loss disability and whether he has residuals of a TBI.
- Claimed conditions
- Bilateral Hearing Loss Disability, Psychiatric Disorder (including Posttraumatic Stress Disorder), Residuals of Traumatic Brain Injury
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 26, 2021
- Citation
- 21024808
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 21024808.
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.
- Granted
The Board has granted the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability and tinnitus, finding that these conditions are related to his in-service noise exposure.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and for residuals of traumatic brain injury, finding that both conditions are related to her military service.
- Partly granted
The Board has readjudicated the claims for service connection for PTSD, bilateral hearing loss disability, cervical spine disability, skin disability, and peripheral neuropathy of both upper extremities. The decision is mixed as some issues are granted while others are remanded.
- Partly granted
The Veteran's appeal for an earlier effective date for PTSD with major depressive disorder and traumatic brain injury was withdrawn. The Veteran's migraine headaches are now rated at 50% disability, the maximum rating allowed under VA guidelines. However, his claim for TDIU due to service-connected disabilities is being remanded.
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