The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings for bilateral hearing loss and left hand carpal tunnel syndrome have been withdrawn.,The Veteran's appeal for an increased rating for GERD has been remanded due to lack of recent in-person examination documentation.,The Veteran's cervical spine disability, bilateral shoulder disability, and bilateral upper extremity radiculopathy claims are being remanded as the VA examinations were inadequate.,ED is secondary to service-connected conditions including medications taken for other disabilities.
The deciding factor: The Veteran withdrew his appeals regarding increased ratings for BHL and CTS prior to a decision being made.,The most recent in-person examination of GERD symptoms was conducted over 4 years ago, and the current evidence does not adequately describe the severity of the condition.,VA examinations were inadequate as they did not provide clear conclusions with supporting data and rationale regarding the Veteran's cervical spine disability, bilateral shoulder disability, and upper extremity radiculopathy claims. The opinions on secondary service connection are also insufficient.,ED is secondary to other service-connected conditions including medications taken for those conditions.
- Claimed conditions
- Bilateral Hearing Loss, Left Hand Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD), Cervical Spine Disability, Erectile Dysfunction (ED), Bilateral Shoulder Disability, Bilateral Upper Extremity Radiculopathy
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 9, 2022
- Citation
- 22062655
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 22062655.
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.
- Granted
The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is granted as service-connected. The claims for alcohol abuse and psychiatric disorder are remanded for additional development, including a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of these conditions.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the case due to a need for a new VA examination to assess the current severity of the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss. The issue remains under direct service connection theory.
- Denied
The Veteran's hearing loss was rated at 30 percent, the highest non-compensable rating available. The Board found that his hearing loss did not warrant a higher rating based on VA examinations and medical records.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that there was no evidence of a nexus between his current hearing loss and his active service. The Board noted that while he had complaints of earaches in service, these did not indicate a current disability.
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