The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current tinnitus disability and denied his claim for service connection. The claims of entitlement to service connection for bilateral hearing loss and gastrointestinal disorder (IBS) are remanded due to insufficient evidence.
The deciding factor: There is no credible evidence of a current tinnitus disability, as the Veteran did not report experiencing tinnitus during his VA examination and denied any symptoms related to tinnitus. The Board found that the private opinion regarding bilateral hearing loss was inadequate based on its reliance solely on the absence of objective evidence in service records.
- Claimed conditions
- tinnitus, bilateral hearing loss, gastrointestinal disorder (IBS)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 10, 2026
- Citation
- A26021234
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 A26021234.
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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