The Board has denied service connection for an ear disability other than tinnitus and remanded the issue of service connection for loss of smell due to inadequate examination.
The deciding factor: The August 2021 VA examiner did not diagnose the Veteran with a loss of sense of smell, and there is no evidence that any diagnostic testing was performed to determine if the Veteran has a loss of sense of smell and to determine if any loss is due to an anatomical or pathological basis.
- Claimed conditions
- Ear Disability (other than tinnitus), Loss of Smell
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 22, 2021
- Citation
- 21075954
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 21075954.
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 Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection have been granted, with some issues being granted through all appellate periods. The RO has also confirmed the evaluations and effective dates from previous decisions.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for PTSD, loss of taste, and loss of smell due to insufficient evidence regarding service connection. The Veteran is required to undergo VA examinations to determine the nature and etiology of his claimed conditions.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and TDIU have been remanded due to the need for further examination. The current rating for depressive disorder with mixed features and anxiety disorder with traumatic brain injury is denied as not meeting the criteria for a higher rating.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, and has remanded his claim for service connection for loss of smell due to potential exposure to herbicides during service.
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