The Board remands the issue of entitlement to service connection for a hearing loss disability due to a lack of appropriate notice and an opportunity to attend a scheduled examination.
The deciding factor: Remand is required to correct a duty to assist error regarding the Veteran's failure to report for a scheduled examination without good cause, as the record indicates the examination was actually cancelled because the Veteran was unavailable.
- Claimed conditions
- hearing loss disability
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 1, 2025
- Citation
- A25029629
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 service connection for hearing loss disability, neck strain, and tinea pedis. The Veteran's claim for an increased initial disability rating in excess of 10 percent for tinnitus was also denied. The claims for service connection for right and left knee patellofemoral pain syndrome were remanded.
- Dismissed
The Board dismissed all claims for service connection and denied an earlier effective date for the award of service connection for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for hearing loss disability but denied it for Crohn's disease, both on a direct basis.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for hearing loss disability, as the evidence did not support a higher evaluation based on the results of an April 2021 VA audiology examination.
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.