The Veteran's service connection claim for bilateral hearing loss is denied as there is no evidence of in-service noise exposure or a current disability related to service.,The Veteran's service connection claim for migraine headaches is remanded due to inadequate reasoning and lack of consideration of lay statements regarding increase in severity and continuity.,The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for post-hydrocelectomy hydrocele, lumbar spine disabilities from May 29, 2018 and January 29, 2020 are remanded due to inadequate reasoning and failure to consider evidence of worsening since the last examination.,The Veteran's service connection claim for migraine headaches is denied as there is no evidence of in-service noise exposure or a current disability related to service.
The deciding factor: There was no evidence of in-service noise exposure, and the Veteran's hearing loss did not meet VA criteria for consideration as a disability.,The Board failed to consider lay statements regarding increase in severity and continuity of migraine headaches during service.,The Board failed to address the adequacy of the July 2018 VA Back Conditions examination and the Court's holding in Chavis v. McDonough, 34 Vet. App. 1 (2021).,There was no evidence of in-service noise exposure or a current disability related to service.
- Claimed conditions
- bilateral hearing loss, migraine headaches, post-hydrocelectomy hydrocele, lumbar spine disability
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 24, 2023
- Citation
- 23004378
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 23004378.
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 bilateral hearing loss, migraine headaches, and PTSD due to additional development of records and examination.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss claim, specifically needing an addendum opinion from a VA examiner. The Veteran will be asked to provide any missing records and former employers' information.
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