The Veteran's claim for bilateral hearing loss is denied as there is no current disability.,Tinnitus has been granted service connection, with the Board resolving doubt in favor of the Veteran.,For tinea versicolor and pseudofolliculitis barbae, a rating in excess of 10 percent is not warranted due to lack of evidence showing more than 20% body or exposed area affected.,The Veteran's low back disorder, left lower extremity sciatica, right lower extremity sciatica, erectile dysfunction, left carpal tunnel syndrome, and right carpal tunnel syndrome are all remanded for further development as VA examinations may be necessary to determine the nature and etiology of these conditions.,Chronic sinusitis and headaches have been remanded due to lack of evidence showing current disability or in-service event.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's claim for bilateral hearing loss is denied because there is no current disability as evidenced by the October 2019 VA examination results.,Tinnitus has been granted service connection based on the Veteran's report of noise exposure during service and a private medical opinion linking tinnitus to in-service noise exposure.,For tinea versicolor with pseudofolliculitis barbae, the evidence does not show more than 20% body or exposed area affected, nor is there any treatment for the condition. Therefore, a rating in excess of 10 percent is not warranted.,The Veteran's low back disorder, left lower extremity sciatica, right lower extremity sciatica, erectile dysfunction, left carpal tunnel syndrome, and right carpal tunnel syndrome are all remanded as there is insufficient evidence to determine the nature and etiology of these conditions. Further examination may be necessary.,Chronic sinusitis and headaches have been remanded due to lack of current disability or in-service event.
- Claimed conditions
- Bilateral Hearing Loss, Tinnitus, Tinea Versicolor with Pseudofolliculitis Barbae, Low Back Disorder, Left Lower Extremity Sciatica, Right Lower Extremity Sciatica, Erectile Dysfunction, Left Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, Right Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, Chronic Sinusitis, Headaches, Bilateral Plantar Fasciitis
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 17, 2023
- Citation
- A23028708
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 A23028708.
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.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are not related to his military service.
- 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.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.