The rejection letters issued on November 25, 2022, July 18, 2023, and March 27, 2024, are void. The Veteran's claims for initial separate ratings in excess of 10 percent for bilateral knee degenerative arthritis, entitlement to initial separate 10 percent ratings for bilateral knee instability, a non-initial rating in excess of 10 percent for bilateral hearing loss, an earlier effective date, and TDIU have been remanded.
The deciding factor: The decision not to adjudicate the Veteran's claim was predicated on factual inaccuracy, and the rejection letters issued were void due to this error.
- Claimed conditions
- Bilateral Knee Degenerative Arthritis, Bilateral Hearing Loss, Bilateral Knee Instability
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 10, 2025
- Citation
- A25033380
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.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's conditions are related to in-service noise exposure.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss, an initial rating in excess of 50 percent for PTSD, entitlement to TDIU, and SMC based on housebound status.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for asbestosis, bronchitis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), rhinitis, sinusitis, and asthma. The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was also denied a compensable rating.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for various disabilities and denied higher ratings for several service-connected conditions.
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.