The Board denied service connection for left ear hearing loss and remanded the issues of reopening entitlement to service connection for right and left clawfoot, as well as assigning a disability rating for right ear hearing loss. The case is now pending with the RO.
The deciding factor: The evidence did not meet the regulatory requirements for establishing a current hearing disability at separation from service, thus denying service connection for left ear hearing loss. The Board found new and material evidence to reopen entitlement to service connection for right and left clawfoot but remanded as it pertains to the merits of the claim.
- Claimed conditions
- Left Ear Hearing Loss, Right Clawfoot (Clawhand), Left Clawfoot (Clawhand)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 0%
- Decision date
- March 8, 2022
- Citation
- 22013039
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 22013039.
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 the Veteran's claims of service connection for right ear hearing loss and a compensable rating for left ear hearing loss, finding that there was no evidence to support these claims based on in-service noise exposure or other theories.
- Granted
The Veteran was granted a TDIU with a September 19, 2024 effective date based on his PTSD, emphysema, and COPD symptoms. His diabetes, tinnitus, and left ear hearing loss were not found to prevent him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation prior to March 19, 2024.
- Denied
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not prevent him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation prior to August 31, 2020.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased evaluations have been remanded due to the need for further evaluation. The effective dates for the grants of service connection are not being granted earlier than November 25, 2019.
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