The Veteran's request for a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss was denied. The Board also granted the Veteran's requests to readjudicate previously denied claims for service connection of left ankle, right ankle, left knee, and right knee disabilities.,The Veteran's claim for PTSD is remanded due to the need to verify an in-service stressor.
The deciding factor: The evidence did not show current disabilities or relevant in-service injuries or diseases for the claimed bilateral ankle, bilateral knee, and lumbar spine conditions. The Board found that the Veteran's service treatment records were negative for any complaints, treatment, or diagnoses of these conditions.,VA is required to attempt to corroborate the Veteran's reported stressor involving being aboard his submarine when it temporarily lost power during service.
- Claimed conditions
- Bilateral Hearing Loss, Left Ankle Disability, Right Ankle Disability, Left Knee Disability, Right Knee Disability, Lumbar Spine Disability, Unspecified Depressive Disorder, Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 30, 2026
- Citation
- A26028346
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 A26028346.
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 Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD is granted as the evidence shows a current diagnosis of PTSD, an in-service stressor, and a medical link between the two.
- Denied
The Veteran's service-connected knee disabilities are rated at 10% each, and the Board finds that higher ratings are not warranted based on the evidence of record.
- Denied
The Veteran's PTSD has been rated at 50% since March 23, 2004. The Board found that a higher rating is not warranted prior to February 15, 2005 due to the severity of his symptoms and their impact on his social and occupational functioning.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD and any acquired psychiatric disorder, finding that there was no evidence to support a link between his current mental health conditions and his military service.
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