The Board has remanded the cases for additional development due to insufficient evidence. Service connection is granted for kidney cancer, but hearing loss and tinnitus are remanded as there is an inadequate opinion in the VA examination report. Esophageal cancer is also remanded as there is no VA examination or opinion regarding its etiology.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the opinions provided were insufficient to determine the nature of the Veteran's conditions, particularly for hearing loss and tinnitus, due to a lack of recent medical records and an inadequate examination report. Esophageal cancer was also remanded as there is no VA examination or opinion regarding its etiology.
- Claimed conditions
- kidney cancer, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, esophageal cancer
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- Gulf War
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- August 31, 2022
- Citation
- 22049407
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 22049407.
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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