The Board has decided that the Veteran does not have current hearing loss of either ear, according to VA standards. The claims for increased evaluations for service-connected right shoulder degenerative arthritis, left shoulder degenerative arthritis, and degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine are remanded as the Veteran should be scheduled for a VA examination to document the current severity of his service-connected disabilities. The claim for service connection for a bilateral knee strain is also remanded as the Veteran should be scheduled for a VA examination to determine the etiology of any diagnosed knee disabilities.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's hearing loss disability was not shown by medical evidence according to VA standards, and thus there may be no service connection for this claimed disability on a direct or presumptive basis.
- Claimed conditions
- bilateral hearing loss, right shoulder degenerative arthritis, left shoulder degenerative arthritis, degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine, bilateral knee strain
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- August 11, 2022
- Citation
- 22045501
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 22045501.
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 Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development, including obtaining clarification from the August 2017 VA examiner regarding which symptoms are related to his service-connected left trapezius strain and whether any non-service-connected conditions represent a progression of that disability.
- 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.
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.