The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings due to incomplete records, including a lack of color photographs of his scars. The claims are being returned to the agency that made the initial decision.
The deciding factor: Incomplete medical records, specifically a lack of color photographs of the Veteran's scars, have been identified as a pre-decisional error.
- Claimed conditions
- left upper extremity burn scar residuals, recurrent cervical spine disability, recurrent right shoulder disability, recurrent right elbow disability, recurrent right wrist disability, recurrent thoracolumbar spine disability, recurrent right hip disability, recurrent left hip disability, recurrent right knee disability, recurrent right foot disability, recurrent left foot disability, recurrent skin disability (athlete's foot), recurrent penile disability (erectile dysfunction), bilateral hearing loss, recurrent acquired vision disability, recurrent sleep disability (sleep disturbances)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 4, 2026
- Citation
- A26010524
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 A26010524.
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 bilateral hearing loss, migraine headaches, and PTSD due to additional development of records and examination.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss claim, specifically needing an addendum opinion from a VA examiner. The Veteran will be asked to provide any missing records and former employers' information.
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