The Veteran's claim for a compensable disability rating for status post fracture of the fifth metacarpal bone is denied as his symptoms are fully addressed under the current rating criteria.,Service connection for bilateral hearing loss is not granted because the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of hearing loss in either ear and has not had one at any time during the pendency of the claim or recent to the filing of the claim.,The Board finds service connection for tinnitus is warranted as the Veteran's reported noise exposure during active service is consistent with his military occupational specialty, and he has asserted continuity of symptomatology from service.
The deciding factor: The current rating criteria adequately address the Veteran's symptoms related to his status post fracture of the fifth metacarpal bone.,The Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of hearing loss in either ear for VA purposes, and therefore, service connection is not warranted.,Service connection can be awarded based on continuity of symptomatology due to noise exposure during active service.
- Claimed conditions
- status post fracture of fifth metacarpal bone, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 26, 2026
- Citation
- A26017553
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 A26017553.
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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