The Veteran's left ear hearing loss is being remanded for a VA examination to assess the current disability.,The Veteran's right ear hearing loss is being remanded due to allegations of worsening and lack of recent audiometric testing. Further record development, including private treatment records, is needed.,The Veteran's back condition is being remanded as there are conflicting opinions regarding its onset in service.
The deciding factor: There is a need for updated evidence on the current severity and manifestations of left ear hearing loss due to allegations of worsening.,Right ear hearing loss may be related to military service, but further examination is needed to determine if any delayed onset is attributable to noise exposure. Private treatment records are also required.,The nature and etiology of the Veteran's back conditions need clarification as there are conflicting opinions regarding their relationship to service.
- Claimed conditions
- Left ear hearing loss, Right ear hearing loss, Back condition, to include degenerative arthritis, spondylolisthesis, and degenerative disc disease (DDD)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 29, 2023
- Citation
- 23068229
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 23068229.
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 further development due to insufficient evidence and need for additional examinations.
- Dismissed
The appeal for service connection for a right ear hearing loss disability is dismissed. The appeal for service connection for bilateral knee disabilities is denied.
- Denied
The Board has determined that the Veteran's left ear hearing loss disability does not meet or approximate criteria for a compensable (10%) disability rating at any point during the appeal period.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for a compensable rating for right ear hearing loss and service connection for left ear hearing loss due to inadequate audiometric examinations. The Veteran will be scheduled for new VA examinations to determine the nature and etiology of his left ear hearing loss and the severity of his hearing loss.
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