The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn for the issue of increased rating for degenerative disc disease. The claim for service connection for frostbite of the feet (now claimed as residuals from cold weather injury) is reopened, but denied on the merits. Service connection for tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss are remanded due to insufficient evidence.
The deciding factor: The January 2019 VA examination indicated a possible relationship between the Veteran's cold weather injury residuals and service-connected PTSD with alcohol use disorder, necessitating further investigation into whether the residuals represent a distinct disability or are manifestations of already service-connected radiculopathy.
- Claimed conditions
- degenerative disc disease of the thoracolumbar spine, frostbite of the feet (now claimed as residuals from cold weather injury), tinnitus, bilateral hearing loss
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 16, 2023
- Citation
- 23016162
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 23016162.
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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