The Veteran's petition to reopen claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus was granted. The claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is remanded due to the need for an addendum opinion regarding its relationship to service.,The Veteran's petition to reopen his claim for service connection for tinnitus was also granted. The claim for service connection for tinnitus is remanded as well, with a need for an addendum opinion addressing whether it is related to service.
The deciding factor: Both claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are being remanded because the VA examiners' opinions were inadequate and did not address the relationship between these conditions and service. Specifically, they failed to consider the Veteran's reported in-service noise exposure and his current symptoms of ringing in the ears (tinnitus).,The claim for right shoulder rotator cuff tendonitis is being remanded due to the VA examiner's inconsistency regarding whether a current disability exists. The claim for right ankle injury is also being remanded as there are ambiguous findings that may constitute a disability warranting further examination.
- Claimed conditions
- Bilateral Hearing Loss, Tinnitus
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 6, 2021
- Citation
- 21072708
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 21072708.
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.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are not related to his military service.
- Granted
The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is granted as service-connected. The claims for alcohol abuse and psychiatric disorder are remanded for additional development, including a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of these conditions.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the case due to a need for a new VA examination to assess the current severity of the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss. The issue remains under direct service connection theory.
- Denied
The Veteran's hearing loss was rated at 30 percent, the highest non-compensable rating available. The Board found that his hearing loss did not warrant a higher rating based on VA examinations and medical records.
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