The Veteran's appeals for Dependents' Educational Assistance and service connection were dismissed due to untimely filings.,The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and initial ratings for various conditions, including PTSD, GERD, ankle sprains, knee sprains, and hearing loss, were also dismissed.
The deciding factor: The appeals were dismissed as the Veteran did not file timely Notice of Disagreement or VA Form 9 within the required timeframes.,The claims for increased ratings and initial ratings were denied based on existing evaluations and lack of new evidence supporting higher ratings.
- Claimed conditions
- sleep apnea, bilateral hearing loss, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), right ankle sprain, left ankle sprain, right knee sprain, left knee sprain
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 17, 2026
- Citation
- A26014402
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 A26014402.
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A dismissal means the Board did not decide the issue on its merits — usually because it was withdrawn or had become moot.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.
- 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.
- 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 case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorders, including bipolar disorder and PTSD. The Veteran will be asked to provide additional medical records and undergo a VA examination.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and major depressive disorder, is being remanded due to the need for additional development regarding his alleged stressors.
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