The Veteran's appeal for service connection for unspecified depressive disorder was withdrawn. His claim for a compensable evaluation for bilateral hearing loss is denied. The Board has remanded his claims for service connection for right hand arthritis, left hand arthritis, right knee condition, and left knee condition.
The deciding factor: The Veteran withdrew his appeal for service connection for unspecified depressive disorder, leaving only the issues of entitlement to a compensable evaluation for bilateral hearing loss, as well as the claims for service connection for various hand and knee conditions. The Board has remanded these remaining issues due to the need for additional medical examinations.
- Claimed conditions
- Unspecified depressive disorder, Bilateral hearing loss, Right hand arthritis, Left hand arthritis, Right knee condition, Left knee condition
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 20, 2026
- Citation
- 26000633
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 26000633.
What this means for you
A dismissal means the Board did not decide the issue on its merits — usually because it was withdrawn or had become moot. It says more about procedure than about whether a claim like this can win.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Granted
The Veteran's claim for a low back disorder was reopened, and his claims for increased ratings of bilateral knee instability were granted. His hearing loss claim was denied.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's appeals of the initial ratings for his service-connected chronic cough and bilateral hearing loss are remanded due to procedural errors in the evidentiary record.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including bilateral pes planus with hammer toes, hallux valgus and degenerative arthritis, sleep apnea, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and bilateral kidney cysts, rendered him unable to secure or follow gainful employment. The Board granted the TDIU based on these conditions.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's right knee condition as secondary to his service-connected right ankle condition.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
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.