The Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates and increased ratings have been denied. The Board has found that the evidence does not support an earlier effective date than July 24, 2019, for TDIU, a 20% rating for right shoulder impingement syndrome with bicipital and rotator cuff tendonitis, a 70% rating for PTSD, insomnia disorder, and alcohol use disorder, or a 10% rating for bilateral hearing loss.,The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for radiculopathy of the left upper extremity has been remanded. The Board found that there is no more than mild symptoms associated with incomplete paralysis of the left upper extremity.
The deciding factor: There was not sufficient evidence to establish earlier effective dates as the findings were not demonstrated in the one year period prior to July 24, 2019. The Veteran's radiculopathy of the left upper extremity is currently rated at 20% and does not meet the criteria for a higher rating.
- Claimed conditions
- Right Shoulder Impingement Syndrome with Bicipital and Rotator Cuff Tendonitis, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Insomnia Disorder, Alcohol Use Disorder, Bilateral Hearing Loss
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 9, 2026
- Citation
- A26032976
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. Read the original VA decision (opens in a new tab) using citation A26032976.
What this means for you
A remand sends an issue back for more development, often a new examination or missing records. It does not award the benefit or decide the final outcome. The original decision explains the additional work ordered.
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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