The Veteran's initial rating for intervertebral disc syndrome is denied as his symptoms do not meet the criteria for a higher rating.,Service connection for a bilateral hip condition and right knee strain with osteoarthritis are both denied due to lack of current diagnosis.
The deciding factor: The evidence does not show that the Veteran currently has a diagnosed hip or knee condition, nor is there sufficient medical opinion regarding the relationship between his service-connected left knee condition and his claimed bilateral hip and right knee conditions.
- Claimed conditions
- Intervertebral disc syndrome, Degenerative joint disease of the left knee, Right knee strain with osteoarthritis
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 1, 2019
- Citation
- 19133756
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,677 · Granted: 26% (granted or partly granted, in the vetted decisions on this site)
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
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 19133756.
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 right and left knee braces caused wear and tear to his clothing in the year of 2021, leading to a decision granting annual clothing allowances for both knee braces.
- Denied
The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date and higher initial rating for his back disability is denied. The effective date remains March 29, 2021, as the earliest date of claim. An initial rating in excess of 20 percent for the back disability from March 29, 2021, is also denied.
- Denied
The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for intervertebral disc syndrome of the thoracolumbar spine was denied as his disability did not meet the criteria for a rating in excess of 20 percent.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran seeks higher initial ratings for his back disability, but the VA examinations from the period under review are inadequate. The Board finds that remand is necessary to obtain an opinion as to the severity and manifestations of the Veteran's back disability during the period under review.
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