The Veteran's tinnitus is granted as service connection due to in-service noise exposure.,Service connection for head injury residuals is denied as there is no current diagnosis of such condition and the evidence does not support a link between an in-service injury and any current disability.,Bilateral hearing loss is remanded as additional opinion is needed regarding its onset and relation to service.,Migraine headaches are remanded as additional opinion is needed regarding their onset and relation to service.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's tinnitus was found to have arisen in service due to exposure to loud noise, with the weight of evidence supporting this finding.,There is no current diagnosis or link between an in-service head injury and any current disability. The Veteran's belief that he has a current disability is not sufficient to establish service connection without medical evidence.,The remand for bilateral hearing loss requires clarification on whether the condition began during service or if it is related to post-service noise exposure, as no opinion was provided regarding this aspect of the claim.,The remand for migraine headaches requires an examination and opinion addressing whether the Veteran's current condition is related to in-service noise exposure, specifically his exposure to gunfire.
- Claimed conditions
- tinnitus, head injury residuals, bilateral hearing loss, migraine headaches
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 13, 2023
- Citation
- 23002512
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 23002512.
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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