The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for right ear hearing loss, tinnitus to include as secondary to hearing loss, pharyngitis, sinus disability, and psychiatric disability due to pre-decisional duty to assist errors.,The Veteran's current left ear hearing loss is not shown at any time during or proximate to the appeal period.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the November 2019 VA examination was inadequate because it did not consider factors in addition to the Veteran's hearing acuity at the time of his separation from service, including but not limited to the Veteran's activities and military occupational specialty during service as well as any post-service noise exposure.,The Board found that a remand is necessary for an examination and opinion regarding the nature and etiology of the Veteran's current pharyngitis and/or sinus condition.
- Claimed conditions
- left ear hearing loss, right ear hearing loss, tinnitus, pharyngitis, sinus disability, sleep disorder (diagnosed as sleep apnea), psychiatric disability
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 18, 2023
- Citation
- A23036227
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 A23036227.
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.
- 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.
- Granted
The Veteran's tinnitus is granted as service connected. The issues of foot disability and cardiovascular disorder are remanded for additional development.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, finding that it is at least as likely as not that the Veteran experienced tinnitus during his active duty service.
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