The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is currently rated as noncompensable, with no evidence of a compensable rating based on the current severity.,Service connection for GERD and IBS has been denied due to lack of current diagnoses or symptoms related to these conditions during service or within one year post-service.,The Veteran's TBI claim is also denied as there are no current diagnoses or symptoms related to this condition.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's hearing loss does not meet the criteria for a compensable rating under VA regulations, despite his in-service noise exposure and credible reports of exposure.,There is insufficient evidence of GERD or IBS during service or within one year post-service to establish service connection. The Veteran has not provided medical diagnoses for these conditions.,The Veteran's TBI claim lacks current diagnoses or symptoms related to this condition, as evidenced by his service records and lack of recent VA/medical records.
- Claimed conditions
- Bilateral Hearing Loss, Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD), Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) - Head Injuries
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 17, 2026
- Citation
- A26014024
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 A26014024.
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.
- Granted
The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is granted as service-connected. The claims for alcohol abuse and psychiatric disorder are remanded for additional development, including a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of these conditions.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the case due to a need for a new VA examination to assess the current severity of the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss. The issue remains under direct service connection theory.
- Denied
The Veteran's hearing loss was rated at 30 percent, the highest non-compensable rating available. The Board found that his hearing loss did not warrant a higher rating based on VA examinations and medical records.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that there was no evidence of a nexus between his current hearing loss and his active service. The Board noted that while he had complaints of earaches in service, these did not indicate a current disability.
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