The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling a new knee examination. The TDIU issue is also remanded as it is inextricably intertwined with the increased rating issues.
The deciding factor: The decision is not about service connection but rather about evaluating the severity of the Veteran's depressive disorder, left knee degenerative arthritis, and right knee degenerative arthritis. The appeal involves determining appropriate disability ratings for these conditions, which requires additional evidence and examination to accurately assess their current state.
- Claimed conditions
- Depressive Disorder, Left Knee Degenerative Arthritis, Right Knee Degenerative Arthritis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 9, 2018
- Citation
- 18141006
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 18141006.
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.
- Partly granted
The Board denied an initial increased rating for diabetes mellitus type II and remanded the claims for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, right shoulder strain with acromioclavicular joint osteoarthritis and tendinitis, cervical spine spondylosis, left knee degenerative arthritis, right knee degenerative arthritis, and thoracolumbar scoliosis and lumbar spine degenerative changes.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD, anxiety disorder, and unspecified trauma- and stressor-related disorder, but denied service connection for left knee degenerative arthritis, cervical strain, left breast cancer, and a left arm condition.
- Partly granted
The Board granted an initial increased rating of 50 percent for the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disability from March 8, 2010, to May 19, 2014, and denied a higher rating thereafter.
- Denied
The Veteran's claim for specially adapted housing was denied as he does not meet the criteria due to his ability to independently ambulate with the use of braces.
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