The Veteran's appeal is REMANDED for additional examinations and medical opinions to determine the nature and etiology of his claimed conditions, including low back condition, muscle condition (restless leg syndrome), blood clots, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), bladder condition, and sleep apnea. The claims will be further evaluated based on the results.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's appeal involves multiple issues related to service connection for various conditions. Further examination is needed to determine if these conditions are related to his military service or other factors.
- Claimed conditions
- Bilateral Hearing Loss, Low Back Condition, Muscle Condition (Restless Leg Syndrome), Blood Clots, Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD), Bladder Condition, Sleep Apnea
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 11, 2023
- Citation
- 23055610
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 23055610.
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.
- 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 Board denied service connection for sleep apnea, finding that the evidence did not support a link between the condition and service.
- 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.
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