The Veteran's hearing loss is currently rated as noncompensable, and the Board finds that a compensable rating is not warranted.,The Veteran's lumbar spine disorder is currently rated at 20 percent. The Board has remanded for further examination to determine if a higher rating is warranted.,The Veteran's right lower extremity radiculopathy is currently rated as 20 percent, and the Board has remanded for further examination to determine if a higher rating is warranted.,The Veteran's left lower extremity radiculopathy is currently rated as 20 percent, and the Board has remanded for further examination to determine if a higher rating is warranted.
The deciding factor: The VA audiological evaluation showed that the Veteran's hearing loss was at Level I in both ears, resulting in a noncompensable rating under the applicable criteria.,The VA examiner did not provide range of motion estimates or information regarding flare-ups and functional impairment during use. The Board has therefore remanded for further examination to determine if a higher rating is warranted.,The Veteran's right lower extremity radiculopathy was rated at 20 percent, and the Board has remanded for further examination to determine if a higher rating is warranted.,The Veteran's left lower extremity radiculopathy was rated at 20 percent, and the Board has remanded for further examination to determine if a higher rating is warranted.
- Claimed conditions
- bilateral hearing loss, lumbosacral strain with DDD and IVDS, right lower extremity radiculopathy of the sciatic nerve, left lower extremity radiculopathy of the sciatic nerve
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 5, 2024
- Citation
- 24006238
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 24006238.
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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