The Veteran's claim for a compensable disability rating prior to March 19, 2019 for bilateral hearing loss is denied.,The Veteran's claim for an increased disability rating in excess of 20 percent beginning March 19, 2019 for bilateral hearing loss is denied.,The Veteran's claim for an initial disability rating in excess of 50 percent for PTSD is denied.,The Veteran's claims for increased disability ratings for residuals, shrapnel wound, left shoulder region and upper arm area, right hip/thigh area, and right leg/ankle area are remanded.,The Veteran's claim for an increased disability rating in excess of 10 percent for right ulnar nerve peripheral neuropathy is remanded.
The deciding factor: The evidence does not support the Veteran's claims for higher initial ratings for his service-connected bilateral hearing loss and PTSD. The functional impact of these conditions, as well as their specific symptoms, do not warrant increased disability ratings.,The VA examinations provided did not adequately address flare-ups related to the Veteran's shrapnel-related injuries in his left shoulder/arm, right hip/thigh, and right leg/ankle areas, nor did they evaluate the range of motion impairment. The Board finds that a new examination is necessary to properly assess these issues.,The evidence does not demonstrate occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas as required for a 70 percent disability rating for PTSD.
- Claimed conditions
- bilateral hearing loss, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), residuals, shrapnel wound, left shoulder region and upper arm area, residuals, shrapnel wound, right hip/thigh area, residuals, shrapnel wound, right leg/ankle area, right ulnar nerve peripheral neuropathy
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 16, 2022
- Citation
- 22009213
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 22009213.
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.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeal for service connection of bilateral hearing loss and a ruptured right ear drum was dismissed due to the death of the Veteran.
- Denied
The Board found that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was noted upon entry into active duty service and did not increase in severity during service. Therefore, it denied his claim for service connection.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorders, including bipolar disorder and PTSD. The Veteran will be asked to provide additional medical records and undergo a VA examination.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and major depressive disorder, is being remanded due to the need for additional development regarding his alleged stressors.
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