The Veteran's claim for bilateral hearing loss is denied as there is no current disability meeting VA criteria.,PTSD service connection granted with an effective date of January 27, 2025. The original claim was filed on July 10, 2024.,Claims for left wrist and right wrist disabilities are remanded due to lack of VA examination or medical opinion.,Claims for right shoulder disability and headache disability (tension headaches) are remanded as the VA examiner did not address specific assertions regarding in-service events.,The Veteran's low back disability is diagnosed but a VA examination or medical opinion was not provided.
The deciding factor: There is no current diagnosis of hearing loss that meets VA criteria for service connection. The Veteran lacks a current disability as defined by VA regulations.,PTSD service connection granted based on the Veteran's in-service TERA exposure and current diagnosis, with an effective date of January 27, 2025.,Lack of VA examination or medical opinion regarding left wrist, right wrist, and right shoulder disabilities. The claims are remanded for further development.,VA examiner did not address the Veteran's specific assertion that his tension headaches began in service due to heavy machinery use. Claims are remanded for an addendum opinion.,Lack of VA examination or medical opinion regarding low back disability. The claim is remanded for further development.
- Claimed conditions
- Bilateral Hearing Loss, Acquired Psychiatric Disorder (Posttraumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD), Left Wrist Disability, Right Wrist Disability, Right Shoulder Disability, Headache Disability (Tension Headaches), Low Back Disability
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 3, 2026
- Citation
- A26018739
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 A26018739.
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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