The Veteran's tinnitus was granted service connection. The Board found the Veteran's lumbosacral strain, bilateral knee, and left foot disabilities worsened since a previous examination in August 2017, necessitating a new VA examination to determine their current severity. The pseudofolliculitis barbae issue is also remanded for clarification of its history and treatment.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's tinnitus was found to have begun during his active service due to consistent reports from the Veteran and subsequent medical evidence supporting this claim. For the other issues, the Board determined that a new examination was needed as the current severity of the disabilities could not be accurately assessed without such an evaluation.
- Claimed conditions
- tinnitus, lumbosacral strain, patellofemoral pain syndrome, right knee, patellofemoral pain syndrome, left knee, plantar fasciitis, left, pseudofolliculitis barbae
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 6, 2022
- Citation
- 22026954
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 22026954.
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.
- 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.
- Granted
The Veteran's tinnitus is granted as service connected. The issues of foot disability and cardiovascular disorder are remanded for additional development.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, finding that it is at least as likely as not that the Veteran experienced tinnitus during his active duty service.
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