The Board has determined that the Veteran's right ankle disability, left ankle disability, right knee disability, and left knee disability are all remanded for further examination and opinion. Additionally, his claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is also remanded. The AOJ must attempt to obtain any outstanding audiologic testing results related to his hearing loss and provide the Veteran with addendum opinions regarding the nature and etiology of his ankle and knee disabilities.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the existing evidence was insufficient to determine the severity of the Veteran's right ankle disability, as well as the nature and etiology of his left ankle, right knee, and left knee disabilities. The AOJ is therefore required to obtain additional medical opinions and potentially conduct further examinations.
- Claimed conditions
- right ankle disability, left ankle disability, right knee disability, left knee disability, bilateral hearing loss
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- September 2, 2020
- Citation
- 20058227
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 20058227.
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 Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development, including a new VA examination to assess his bilateral knee and hip disabilities.
- 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.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.