The Veteran's hypertension is manifested by systolic pressures predominantly less than 160 and diastolic pressures less than 100; the Veteran requires continuous medication to control his hypertension. The appeal for an initial compensable evaluation for hypertension is denied.,The appeal regarding entitlement to service connection for bilateral hearing loss is remanded due to a lack of in-service audiometric data under both ASA and ISO-ANSI standards, requiring additional examination.,The appeal regarding entitlement to service connection for stroke residuals is remanded due to the need for an opinion on whether it is at least as likely as not related to active service, including exposure to herbicides.,The appeal regarding entitlement to service connection for skin cancer is remanded due to the need for an opinion on whether it is at least as likely as not related to active service, including exposure to herbicides.,The appeal regarding entitlement to service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder (to include posttraumatic stress disorder) is remanded due to the need for an opinion on whether it is at least as likely as not related to active service.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's hypertension does not meet the criteria for a compensable evaluation as his diastolic pressure has not been predominantly 100 or more, and his systolic pressure has not consistently been predominantly 160 or more.,In-service audiometric data under both ASA and ISO-ANSI standards are unclear, requiring additional examination to determine the Veteran's hearing loss history.,The examiner concluded that stroke residuals were not related to active service, including exposure to herbicides. An additional opinion is needed as there is no scientific evidence available identifying a causal relationship between TERA and cerebrovascular accidents.,An opinion on whether the Veteran's skin cancer is related to active service, including exposure to herbicides, is needed as VA treatment records indicate a history of basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and actinic keratoses dating back to October 2014.,The examiner concluded that the Veteran did not meet criteria for a psychiatric diagnosis. An additional opinion is needed on whether his acquired psychiatric disorder (to include posttraumatic stress disorder) is related to active service.
- Claimed conditions
- hypertension, bilateral hearing loss, stroke residuals, skin cancer, an acquired psychiatric disorder (to include posttraumatic stress disorder)
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- June 7, 2024
- Citation
- A24030167
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 A24030167.
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for hypertension and peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper and lower extremities due to insufficient medical opinions regarding their etiology.
- 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.
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