The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for tinnitus and bilateral pes planus, but denied these claims. The Board also remanded several issues related to knee disabilities and TDIU prior to April 24, 2020.
The deciding factor: New evidence received since the final denial is sufficient to reopen the claims, but service connection cannot be established as there is no credible evidence of in-service noise exposure or continuity of symptomatology post-service. The Veteran's pes planus may have been aggravated by service, but clear and unmistakable evidence of its natural progression is lacking.
- Claimed conditions
- tinnitus, bilateral pes planus, right knee disability, left knee disability
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 3, 2021
- Citation
- 21072466
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 21072466.
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 Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development, including a new VA examination to assess his bilateral knee and hip disabilities.
- 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.
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