The Board has remanded the claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to service connection, as well as the increased rating claim for a headache condition. The VA examiner is asked to provide opinions on the etiology of the Veteran's hearing loss and tinnitus based on his lay statements of noise exposure during service and symptoms at separation. An addendum opinion is also needed regarding the nature and severity of the Veteran's headache condition.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the VA examiner's opinion was inadequate due to the use of a whisper test, which is not reliable for assessing hearing loss for VA purposes. The Board also noted that the examination did not clearly explain the severity of the Veteran's symptomology and whether his symptoms could be differentiated from other conditions.
- Claimed conditions
- bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 11, 2022
- Citation
- A22020545
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 A22020545.
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 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.
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