The Veteran's appeal of his tinnitus claim is denied as he is already in receipt of the maximum schedular rating available for tinnitus. The Board finds that the Veteran's claims for higher ratings for his low back disorder, left and right sciatic nerve radiculopathy, and bilateral hearing loss must be remanded due to lack of a recent VA examination.
The deciding factor: The Veteran is already receiving the maximum schedular rating available for tinnitus, so no higher rating can be granted on a schedular basis. The claims for his low back disorder, sciatic nerve radiculopathy, and bilateral hearing loss must be remanded due to lack of recent VA examinations.
- Claimed conditions
- tinnitus, low back disorder (DJD with levoscoliosis and lumbar strain), left sciatic nerve radiculopathy, right sciatic nerve radiculopathy, bilateral hearing loss
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 29, 2022
- Citation
- 22072013
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 22072013.
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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