The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is granted as incurred in service. The cases for pruritus, athlete's foot, PFB, right knee disability, left knee disability (secondary to right knee), watery eyes, and allergic rhinitis/sinusitis are remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions considering toxic exposure.
The deciding factor: The Veteran has provided competent testimony regarding his symptoms and their onset during service. The cases require further examination and opinion to consider the effects of in-service occupational exposures and presumed herbicide agent exposure.
- Claimed conditions
- Bilateral Hearing Loss, Pruritus (itching all over the body), Skin Disability of Bilateral Feet, to include Athlete's Foot, Pseudofolliculitis Barbae (PFB), Right Knee Disability, Left Knee Disability (secondary to right knee disability), Watery Eyes, Allergic Rhinitis and/or Sinusitis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 9, 2023
- Citation
- 23060504
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 23060504.
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.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, left knee disability, and right knee disability. The claims for urinary frequency disability and residuals of a cholecystectomy were denied.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's conditions are related to in-service noise exposure.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for asbestosis, bronchitis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), rhinitis, sinusitis, and asthma. The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was also denied a compensable rating.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss, an initial rating in excess of 50 percent for PTSD, entitlement to TDIU, and SMC based on housebound status.
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