The Board has determined that a remand is necessary for the Veteran to undergo VA examinations and obtain additional records in order to properly adjudicate his claims of service connection for right ear hearing loss, left ear hearing loss, right shoulder disorder, and bilateral knee disorder.
The deciding factor: The evidence suggests an increase in severity of the Veteran's right ear hearing loss since his last VA examination. The etiology of the Veteran's left ear hearing loss is unclear due to conflicting statements from the Veteran regarding when he began experiencing symptoms. The nature and etiology of the Veteran's right shoulder disorder are unclear, as no opinion has been obtained on this matter. The etiology of the Veteran's bilateral knee disorder is also unclear.
- Claimed conditions
- Right ear hearing loss, Left ear hearing loss, Right shoulder disorder, Bilateral knee disorder
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 28, 2023
- Citation
- 23019066
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 23019066.
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for further development due to insufficient evidence and need for additional examinations.
- Dismissed
The appeal for service connection for a right ear hearing loss disability is dismissed. The appeal for service connection for bilateral knee disabilities is denied.
- Denied
The Board has determined that the Veteran's left ear hearing loss disability does not meet or approximate criteria for a compensable (10%) disability rating at any point during the appeal period.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for a compensable rating for right ear hearing loss and service connection for left ear hearing loss due to inadequate audiometric examinations. The Veteran will be scheduled for new VA examinations to determine the nature and etiology of his left ear hearing loss and the severity of his hearing loss.
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