The Veteran's tinnitus claim is denied as he does not have a current disability.,The Veteran's prostate cancer claim is denied due to lack of exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune and insufficient evidence linking his condition to service.,The Veteran's left ankle disability claim is remanded for further examination and opinion regarding pre-existing versus in-service aggravation.,The Veteran's lower back disability claim is remanded for a VA examination and medical opinion on the relationship between his current condition and service.,The Veteran's depression claim is remanded for a VA examination and medical opinion on the relationship between his current condition and service.,The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss claim is remanded for a new VA examination to determine if he has hearing loss and whether it is related to service.,The Veteran's type 2 diabetes mellitus, sleep apnea, and nontoxic goiter claims are remanded for further examination and opinion regarding their relationship to his left ankle injury.,The Veteran's sleep apnea claim is remanded for a VA examination and medical opinion on the relationship between his current condition and service.,The Veteran's nontoxic goiter claim is remanded for a VA examination and medical opinion on the relationship between his current condition and service.
The deciding factor: The March 2020 VA examiner found no evidence of tinnitus in the Veteran's records, and the Board finds the Veteran's account credible but not probative as he did not have a current diagnosis.,There is insufficient direct or presumptive evidence linking the Veteran's prostate cancer to his service at Camp Lejeune. The Veteran has not provided any direct evidence of exposure or medical opinion connecting his condition to service.,The VA examiner found no aggravation of the pre-existing left ankle disability during service, and further examination is needed to determine if there was a change in severity due to service.,There is insufficient medical evidence linking the Veteran's current lower back and depression conditions to his military service. A new examination is required for an opinion on this relationship.,The Veteran has not provided direct or presumptive evidence of exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune, nor does he have a credible medical opinion connecting his condition to service. The claim must be denied.,A VA examination and medical opinion are needed to determine if the Veteran currently has hearing loss related to service and whether it is caused by any service-connected conditions.,The Veteran's type 2 diabetes mellitus, sleep apnea, and nontoxic goiter claims lack sufficient evidence linking his current conditions to his military service. Further examination and opinion are required for these claims.,A VA examination and medical opinion are needed to determine if the Veteran's current sleep apnea condition is related to his left ankle injury during service.,The Veteran's nontoxic goiter claim lacks sufficient evidence linking his current condition to his military service. A new examination and opinion are required for this claim.
- Claimed conditions
- tinnitus, prostate cancer, left ankle disability, lower back disability, depression, bilateral hearing loss, type 2 diabetes mellitus, sleep apnea, nontoxic goiter
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 17, 2026
- Citation
- A26023744
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 A26023744.
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has expanded the scope of the claim to include any mental health disorder raised by the record and has remanded for additional development regarding service connection for left leg, ankle, and psychiatric disabilities.
- 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.
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