The Board has denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and remanded the issue of service connection for sleep apnea. The decision on bilateral hearing loss is based on a finding that the Veteran does not have current hearing loss as defined by VA standards, and there is no evidence linking his hearing loss to in-service noise exposure or any other in-service event. Service connection was denied because the evidence does not support a link between the Veteran's hearing loss and military service. The Board also remanded for an addendum opinion regarding whether the Veteran's sleep apnea is secondary to his PTSD.
The deciding factor: The decision on bilateral hearing loss is based on the lack of current hearing loss meeting VA standards, and the absence of evidence linking it to in-service noise exposure or any other in-service event. The Board also remanded for an addendum opinion regarding whether the Veteran's sleep apnea is secondary to his PTSD.
- Claimed conditions
- bilateral hearing loss, sleep apnea
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- September 23, 2023
- Citation
- 23052960
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 23052960.
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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