The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is currently rated at 10 percent, and the Board finds no basis to grant a higher rating.,Service connection for a right wrist disability is denied as there is no evidence of such during active duty service or otherwise related to service.,Service connection for a left knee disability is remanded due to insufficient evidence regarding its onset in service.,An initial rating in excess of 20 percent for the Veteran's right knee strain with patellofemoral pain syndrome (right knee disability) is also remanded as there are no findings or diagnoses related to this condition during active duty service.,Service connection for a sleep disorder is remanded due to insufficient evidence regarding its onset in service.,Service connection for a disability manifested by chest pain is remanded due to insufficient evidence regarding its onset in service.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss does not meet the criteria for a higher rating as it does not reach levels that would warrant an increased evaluation under VA's tables for rating hearing loss disabilities.,Service connection cannot be established as there is no evidence of right wrist disability during active duty service or otherwise related to service. The Veteran's reports are insufficient to establish such a link.,The onset and etiology of the left knee disability have not been sufficiently linked to service, necessitating further examination and evaluation.,There is insufficient evidence regarding the onset of the right knee disability during active duty service for an increased rating or service connection.,Service connection cannot be established as there is no evidence of a sleep disorder during active duty service or otherwise related to service. The Veteran's reports are insufficient to establish such a link.,Service connection cannot be established as there is no evidence of a disability manifested by chest pain during active duty service or otherwise related to service. The Veteran's reports are insufficient to establish such a link.
- Claimed conditions
- bilateral hearing loss, right wrist disability, left knee disability, right knee disability, sleep disorder, disability manifested by chest pain
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 21, 2026
- Citation
- A26005300
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 A26005300.
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.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeal for service connection of bilateral hearing loss and a ruptured right ear drum was dismissed due to the death of the Veteran.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development, including a new VA examination to assess his bilateral knee and hip disabilities.
- Denied
The Board found that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was noted upon entry into active duty service and did not increase in severity during service. Therefore, it denied his claim for service connection.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for bilateral hearing loss, migraine headaches, and PTSD due to additional development of records and examination.
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