The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied as there is no evidence of current disability.,The Veteran's claim for a rating greater than 10 percent for tinnitus from December 15, 2017 remains remanded due to the need for further development and clarification.,The Veteran's claims for service connection for traumatic brain injury (TBI), posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), Gulf War Illness, fibromyalgia, and chronic fatigue syndrome are all remanded as there is insufficient evidence in the record to determine their validity.,Service connection will be granted based on direct evidence of a condition during service or otherwise established by competent medical evidence.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's hearing loss was not diagnosed at any point during service and no current disability has been established. The maximum schedular rating for tinnitus is already assigned.,There are insufficient records to determine the severity of the Veteran's tinnitus or its impact on his daily life, necessitating further development.,Service treatment records suggest an incident resulting in TBI but do not provide sufficient evidence to establish a current disability. Further clarification and evidence are needed.,PTSD is not service-connected as there is no medical evidence linking it to service. The Veteran's claims for PTSD, Gulf War Illness, fibromyalgia, and chronic fatigue syndrome require additional development of the record.,Service connection will be granted based on direct evidence of a condition during service or otherwise established by competent medical evidence.
- Claimed conditions
- bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, traumatic brain injury (TBI), posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), Gulf War Illness, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 20, 2024
- Citation
- 24008320
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 24008320.
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.
- Granted
The Veteran's claim for service connection for migraines was reopened due to new evidence. Service connection is granted for painful scars, but the rating assigned remains at 10 percent. The claims for fibromyalgia and bilateral shoulder disability are denied.
- 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 service connection for hearing loss, tinnitus, and an acquired psychiatric disorder due to incomplete medical records and need for further examination.
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