The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss was denied as there is no evidence of a current disability.,Service connection for hypertension was also denied, with the Board finding that the Veteran did not have hypertension during service and that it did not manifest within one year post-service.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's service treatment records do not show any diagnosis or treatment for hearing loss or hypertension. The Veteran has not provided evidence of continuity of symptoms since service.,There is no medical evidence showing the Veteran had hypertension during service, and there was no compensable manifestation within one year post-service.
- Claimed conditions
- Bilateral Hearing Loss, Hypertension, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), Gastrojejunostomy, Pancreatic Injury, Esophagus Problem Post-Partial Repair (esophagus disability), Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 18, 2026
- Citation
- A26024691
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 A26024691.
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.
- Denied
The Board denied the claim of service connection for hypertension, finding that it did not manifest during service and is not causally related to the Veteran's exposure to herbicides or service.
- 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 Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension, finding that there was no evidence of a nexus between his current condition and active duty service or herbicide exposure.
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