The Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus is granted. The Board finds that the Veteran has a diagnosis of tinnitus and her lay statements are credible, resolving all reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran. However, the issue of service connection for bilateral hearing loss requires additional examination and opinion as the March 2018 VA examiner's opinion was inadequate.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the Veteran's lay testimony regarding the onset of tinnitus during service is credible and resolved all reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran. For the issue of service connection for bilateral hearing loss, the Board determined that an additional examination and medical opinion are needed to address the shift at 6000 Hertz between entrance and separation audiograms.
- Claimed conditions
- tinnitus, bilateral hearing loss
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 31, 2022
- Citation
- 22060993
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 22060993.
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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