The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for service-connected bilateral hearing loss has been denied.,The Veteran's claim for an evaluation in excess of 50 percent disabling for PTSD with TBI is remanded due to inadequate examination and potential Social Security Administration records not being obtained.,The Veteran's claim for a total disability evaluation due to individual unemployability (TDIU) is remanded as it is intertwined with the other claims.
The deciding factor: The VA examinations did not provide adequate reasons and bases for denying the compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss, and there are outstanding records that need to be obtained.,There were inadequate examination results regarding TBI residuals in PTSD, and potential Social Security Administration records have not been obtained. The Veteran's claim for a higher evaluation of PTSD with TBI is remanded.,The issue of TDIU is intertwined with the other claims, including the hearing loss and PTSD evaluations.
- Claimed conditions
- Bilateral Hearing Loss, Posttraumatic Stress Disorder with Traumatic Brain Injury
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 6, 2023
- Citation
- 23064722
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 23064722.
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 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.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that there was no evidence of a nexus between his current hearing loss and his active service. The Board noted that while he had complaints of earaches in service, these did not indicate a current disability.
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