The Veteran's appeal involves multiple service-connected disabilities, including depressive disorder, right knee disability, hypertension, low back disability, and several other conditions. The Board has ordered remand for additional development to ensure the claimant is afforded due process and that new VA examinations are conducted.
The deciding factor: The decision was not about service connection but rather about the appropriate initial ratings for various disabilities. Service connection is presumed established as it involves active duty service, though the specific conditions may have been reopened or reevaluated.
- Claimed conditions
- depressive disorder, not otherwise specified, hypertension, right knee disability (ACL tear and meniscus injury), low back disability, left gynecomastia, status post-surgical correction with scars, right gynecomastia, status post-surgical correction with scars, left inguinal hernia and left testicle hydrocele with scar, right lower shin superficial peroneal nerve paresthesia
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 14, 2018
- Citation
- 1809408
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 1809408.
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for hypertension and peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper and lower extremities due to insufficient medical opinions regarding their etiology.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including VA examinations.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for additional development due to conflicting opinions regarding service connection for peripheral neuropathy, hypertension, and skin disabilities related to herbicide exposure.
- Denied
The Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension and increased rating for anxiety disorder have been denied. The Board found that there is no evidence of a current disability meeting the criteria for hypertension, and the Veteran's anxiety disorder does not meet the criteria for a higher rating.
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