The Veteran's claim for a compensable disability rating for inflammatory hydrocele was denied.,An effective date of May 1, 2018, for service connection of inflammatory hydrocele is granted.,Service connection for tinnitus and hearing loss remains denied due to lack of new and relevant evidence.,The Veteran's claim for erectile dysfunction secondary to left varicocele is remanded for further evaluation.
The deciding factor: The medical opinion provided did not consider the full medical history or lay statements regarding the Veteran's symptoms, leading to an inadequate assessment of his condition.,The earlier-effective-date issue was kept in continuous pursuit by the Veteran's timely request for higher-level review following a previous rating decision.,No new and relevant evidence has been received to reopen the claims for tinnitus and hearing loss.,A new examination is needed to determine if the Veteran's erectile dysfunction is due to or aggravated by his service-connected inflammatory varicocele.
- Claimed conditions
- inflammatory hydrocele, tinnitus, hearing loss, erectile dysfunction
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- February 2, 2026
- Citation
- A26009123
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. Read the original VA decision (opens in a new tab) using citation A26009123.
What this means for you
A final Board denial may be appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, generally within 120 days of the Board mailing date. A Supplemental Claim with new and relevant evidence is a separate option. Another Higher-Level Review of the Board decision is not available. Check your own notice: this historical decision does not set your deadline.
What you can do next
Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Whole decision: Dismissed
The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for diabetes mellitus type II with erectile dysfunction was denied as the evidence did not show that he had been diagnosed and manifested to at least a 10 percent disability rating on or prior to May 8, 2001.
- Whole decision: 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.
- Whole decision: 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.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Veteran's tinnitus is granted as service connected. The issues of foot disability and cardiovascular disorder are remanded for additional development.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.