The Veteran's initial claim for a higher rating for bilateral hearing loss is denied as his service-connected bilateral hearing impairment does not meet the criteria for a compensable rating.,A new VA examination and etiology opinion are needed to determine if the Veteran has tinnitus and its relationship to service, including herbicide exposure in Subic Bay and exposure at Camp Lejeune.,The AOJ is required to obtain an etiology opinion regarding whether the Veteran's heart disability is related to his time in service, specifically contaminated water at Camp Lejeune.
The deciding factor: The objective medical evidence of record does not show that the Veteran's hearing loss has worsened beyond a Level I designation.,The VA examiner did not provide an opinion regarding tinnitus due to lack of information and the Veteran's assertion that he currently experiences tinnitus. Therefore, a new examination is needed to determine if the Veteran has tinnitus and its relationship to service.,No etiology opinion was obtained for the heart disability related to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune.
- Claimed conditions
- Bilateral Hearing Loss, Tinnitus, Heart Disability
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- May 25, 2022
- Citation
- 22030857
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. Read the original VA decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 22030857.
What this means for you
A remand sends an issue back for more development, often a new examination or missing records. It does not award the benefit or decide the final outcome. The original decision explains the additional work ordered.
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 Veteran's hearing loss was rated at 30 percent, the highest non-compensable rating available. The Board found that his hearing loss did not warrant a higher rating based on VA examinations and medical records.
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