The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus due to a lack of evidence linking the condition to active duty service.,The Board has also remanded the claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, claimed as substance abuse - alcohol; left knee disorder; and right knee disorder.
The deciding factor: The April 2021 VA examiner found no evidence of noise exposure related to tinnitus during service and concluded that it was less likely than not related to military service.,For the psychiatric claim, the Board finds a pre-decisional duty to assist error as there is no diagnosis for alcohol use disorder. The Veteran's adjustment disorder with depressed mood would have been reasonably encompassed by the present claim.
- Claimed conditions
- tinnitus, acquired psychiatric disorder (claimed as substance abuse - alcohol), left knee disorder, right knee disorder
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- August 14, 2024
- Citation
- A24046461
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 A24046461.
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 case due to the need for additional development, including obtaining SSA records and providing proper notice regarding secondary 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.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for tinnitus, arthritis, and memory loss. The decision found no evidence linking these conditions to his military service.
- Granted
The Veteran's tinnitus is granted as service connected. The issues of foot disability and cardiovascular disorder are remanded for additional development.
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