The Veteran's scar, post right inguinal hernia surgical repair is granted a 20 percent rating.,Service connection for tinnitus is granted.,Service connection for a skin condition (chloracne and/or dermatitis) as secondary to herbicide exposure is remanded.,Service connection for acute renal failure (kidney condition) as due to an enlarged prostate and/or herbicide exposure is remanded.,Service connection for rheumatoid arthritis as due to herbicide exposure is remanded.,Service connection for total right knee replacement, to include as due to rheumatoid arthritis and/or herbicide exposure is remanded.,Service connection for depression with sleep disturbance, to include as secondary to rheumatoid arthritis is remanded.,Service connection for bilateral hearing loss is remanded.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's scars were found to be painful and the Board granted a higher rating based on this finding.,Tinnitus was found to be related to service, despite an earlier negative opinion. The Board resolved reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran.,Service connection for a skin condition (chloracne and/or dermatitis) as secondary to herbicide exposure is remanded due to lack of verification of Vietnam service and herbicide exposure.,Service connection for acute renal failure (kidney condition) as due to an enlarged prostate and/or herbicide exposure is remanded due to lack of verification of Vietnam service and herbicide exposure.,Service connection for rheumatoid arthritis as due to herbicide exposure is remanded due to lack of verification of Vietnam service and herbicide exposure.,Service connection for total right knee replacement, to include as due to rheumatoid arthritis and/or herbicide exposure is remanded due to lack of verification of Vietnam service and herbicide exposure.,Service connection for depression with sleep disturbance, to include as secondary to rheumatoid arthritis is remanded due to lack of verification of Vietnam service and herbicide exposure.,Service connection for bilateral hearing loss is remanded due to incomplete VA audiometric records.
- Claimed conditions
- scar, post right inguinal hernia surgical repair, tinnitus, skin condition (chloracne and/or dermatitis), acute renal failure (kidney condition), rheumatoid arthritis, total right knee replacement, depression with sleep disturbance, bilateral hearing loss
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 30, 2024
- Citation
- A24086651
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 A24086651.
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 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.
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