The Board remands the claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, a left ankle condition, a lower back condition, and radiculopathy of both lower extremities as they require further development.
The deciding factor: The April 2024 VA opinions are found to be inadequate due to their reliance on the absence of records corroborating the Veteran's conditions, failure to address significant facts in the case, and lack of fully articulated reasoning. Additionally, secondary service connection for tinnitus is reasonably raised by the record.
- Claimed conditions
- Bilateral hearing loss, Tinnitus, Left ankle condition, Lower back condition, Left lower extremity radiculopathy, Right lower extremity radiculopathy
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 30, 2025
- Citation
- A25094396
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