The Veteran's tinnitus is found to be related to his active service.,Hereditary angioedema is determined to be due to in-service exposure to trichloroethylene (TCE).,Bilateral hearing loss is not considered as likely caused by in-service noise exposure, and the relationship with TCE exposure remains unclear.,Crohn's disease is found to be related to in-service exposure to TCE. The Veteran's bilateral spontaneous pneumothorax case requires further examination for a rating determination.
The deciding factor: The Veteran provided credible testimony establishing continuous ringing in his ears since active service, which the Board finds sufficient to establish tinnitus as being related to military service.,Exposure to TCE during service is considered significant and hereditary angioedema can be linked to this exposure. The medical opinions are supportive of a link between TCE and hereditary angioedema.,The VA examiner's opinion that hearing loss was not caused by in-service noise exposure, but the Board finds this insufficient due to normal hearing at entrance and discharge. Further examination is needed to determine current severity.,Exposure to TCE during service is considered significant for Crohn's disease, which can be linked to autoimmune conditions. The VA examiner’s opinion that it is less likely than not caused by TCE exposure remains unclear.
- Claimed conditions
- tinnitus, hereditary angioedema, bilateral hearing loss, Crohn's disease
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- August 25, 2022
- Citation
- 22048531
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 22048531.
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 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.
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