The Board remands the veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions due to a lack of proper notice and scheduling of VA examinations.
The deciding factor: The AOJ failed to ensure and document that the Veteran was properly notified of scheduled VA examinations, constituting a pre-decisional duty to assist error.
- Claimed conditions
- Bilateral hearing loss, Acne, Low back disorder, COVID-19, Acquired psychiatric disorder, to include memory loss, anxiety condition and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), Bilateral foot disorder, claimed as foot pain, Hair loss, Headache disorder, Hemorrhoids, Left ankle disorder, Left arm disorder, Left elbow disorder, Left shin splints, Left wrist disorder, Neck disorder, Skin disorder, to include pseudofolliculitis barbae, Right ankle disorder, Right arm disorder, Right knee disorder, Right shin splints, Left shoulder disorder, Sleep apnea, Loss of sense of smell
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 26, 2025
- Citation
- A25028158
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.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for chronic headaches, CFS, dermatosis, bilateral RLS, a lumbar spine disability, and sleep apnea but denied a compensable evaluation for allergic rhinitis.
- Partly granted
The Board granted a 20 percent rating for the Veteran's left knee strain, service connection for right ear hearing loss, and service connection for a right ankle disorder. Other claims were denied or remanded.
- 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.
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.