The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied as he does not have a current disability for VA purposes.,The Veteran's claims for service connection for neck, left shoulder, right shoulder, left wrist, and right wrist disorders are remanded due to the need for additional development of his treatment records from Community Care providers.,The Veteran's claims for service connection for left foot and right foot disorders are remanded due to the need for an adequate opinion addressing whether these disabilities are related to service.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for a sleep disorder, including sleep apnea, is remanded due to the need for an adequate opinion addressing whether this disability is related to service or aggravated by his service-connected tinnitus.,The Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and head injury (claimed as CTE) are remanded due to the need for an adequate opinion addressing whether these disabilities are related to service.
The deciding factor: The Veteran does not have a current hearing loss disability for VA purposes.,Additional development is needed to determine if the Veteran's joint and foot disabilities are related to service.,An adequate opinion is needed regarding whether the Veteran's sleep disorder, including sleep apnea, is related to service or aggravated by his service-connected tinnitus.,An adequate opinion is needed addressing whether the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder and head injury (claimed as CTE) are related to service.
- Claimed conditions
- bilateral hearing loss, neck disorder, left shoulder disorder, right shoulder disorder, left wrist disorder, right wrist disorder, left foot disorder, right foot disorder, sleep disorder (including sleep apnea), acquired psychiatric disorder (including depression with anger and aggression), head injury (claimed as CTE)
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- August 8, 2022
- Citation
- 22044905
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 22044905.
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 bilateral hearing loss, migraine headaches, and PTSD due to additional development of records and examination.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss claim, specifically needing an addendum opinion from a VA examiner. The Veteran will be asked to provide any missing records and former employers' information.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.