The Board remands the claims for a rating in excess of 20 percent for bilateral hearing loss and a rating in excess of 10 percent prior to April 27, 2018, for internal derangement of the ACL with degenerative arthritis of the right knee and in excess of 30 percent as of June 1, 2019, for total right knee replacement due to the need for a new VA examination.
The deciding factor: The Board finds that remand is necessary to obtain updated audiometric test results and a current evaluation of the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and right knee disability, including range of motion findings and functional impairment.
- Claimed conditions
- Bilateral hearing loss, Internal derangement of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) with degenerative arthritis of the right knee, leading to total right knee replacement
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 12, 2021
- Citation
- 21062920
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.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, as there was no evidence of a current disability in the right ear and insufficient evidence to establish a nexus between the left ear hearing loss and service.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the matter for a medical clarification regarding whether the Veteran's service-connected epilepsy has aggravated his bilateral hearing loss.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss to obtain an addendum opinion addressing the Veteran's lay statements regarding in-service acoustic trauma and a rocket blast injury.
- Partly granted
The Board granted an effective date of May 17, 2019, for a 70 percent disability rating for PTSD but denied earlier effective dates for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus.
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.