The Veteran's claim for service connection for a headache disability is granted. The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for bilateral hearing loss is denied. The Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, stomach disability, and erectile dysfunction are remanded due to the need for VA examinations and medical opinions.
The deciding factor: The Board finds that additional evidence is needed in order to make a determination on the Veteran's claims of service connection for his acquired psychiatric disability, stomach disability, and erectile dysfunction. Specifically, VA examinations and medical opinions are required to address whether these conditions are related to hazardous environmental exposures during active duty service.
- Claimed conditions
- Headache, Acquired Psychiatric Disability (Depression), Stomach Disability, Erectile Dysfunction
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 29, 2026
- Citation
- A26040173
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 A26040173.
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 Board has determined that the Veteran's erectile dysfunction is secondary to his service-connected major depressive disorder, and thus grants service connection for this condition.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has found new and relevant evidence to readjudicate the claim for service connection for a headache disability. The case is being remanded for further review.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim of service connection for erectile dysfunction due to insufficient medical evidence and a need for a VA examination.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for his service-connected headache disability is remanded due to the lack of a proper VA examination, which may have influenced the initial decision.
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