The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus have been reopened, with the former being granted. The claim for sleep apnea remains closed as no new and material evidence has been received.,Service connection is denied for a bilateral foot condition (heel spurs and plantar fasciitis), as there is insufficient evidence to establish that the condition had its onset in service or is causally related to any incident of service.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's hearing loss and tinnitus were initially shown during service, with no indication of aggravation. The current evidence does not provide sufficient information to support reopening the sleep apnea claim.,There was no in-service diagnosis or treatment for a bilateral foot condition. The Veteran's current symptoms are not linked to his military service.
- Claimed conditions
- Bilateral Hearing Loss, Tinnitus, Sleep Apnea, Bilateral Foot Condition (Heel Spurs and Plantar Fasciitis), Migraine Headaches, Diabetes Mellitus with Erectile Dysfunction and Cataracts, Acquired Psychiatric Disorder (Generalized Anxiety Disorder)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 24, 2022
- Citation
- 22030449
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 22030449.
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 service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are not related to his military service.
- Granted
The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is granted as service-connected. The claims for alcohol abuse and psychiatric disorder are remanded for additional development, including a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of these conditions.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the case due to a need for a new VA examination to assess the current severity of the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss. The issue remains under direct service connection theory.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for sleep apnea, finding that the evidence did not support a link between the condition and service.
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