The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus as they are inextricably intertwined with a previous decision on service connection. The VA will obtain missing service treatment records, including those from reserve service, and schedule an appropriate examination to determine if any current disabilities are related to active service or aggravated by pre-existing conditions.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were inextricably intertwined with a previous decision on service connection. Therefore, they need to be remanded to obtain missing records and provide an appropriate examination to determine if any current disabilities are related to active service or aggravated by pre-existing conditions.
- Claimed conditions
- bilateral hearing loss disability, tinnitus
- How they argued it
- Aggravation of a pre-existing condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 29, 2021
- Citation
- 21071139
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 21071139.
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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