The Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus is granted. The Board finds that the evidence is in equipoise and grants service connection for bilateral hearing loss, pes planus of the left foot, and pes planus of the right foot due to their relationship with pre-existing conditions.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's lay testimony regarding his symptoms during service was found credible enough to establish continuity of symptomatology from service. The Board also considered the absence of in-service treatment for bilateral pes planus but concluded that this alone does not negate a possible nexus between the current condition and service.
- Claimed conditions
- tinnitus, bilateral hearing loss, pes planus, left foot, pes planus, right foot
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 4, 2022
- Citation
- 22062115
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 22062115.
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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