The Veteran's right knee condition, emphysema, benign neoplasm (claimed as spot on lung), and psychiatric condition (depression) are not related to his military service.,Further development is needed for the claims of service connection for a left big toe condition to include arthritis, a right big toe condition to include arthritis, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
The deciding factor: The VA examiner's opinion did not provide a thorough analysis on why the Veteran’s current disabilities are not related to his military service.
- Claimed conditions
- right knee condition, emphysema, benign neoplasm (claimed as spot on lung), psychiatric condition (depression)
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- June 14, 2019
- Citation
- 19146618
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,456 · Granted: 23% (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 19146618.
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 Veteran's lung condition, including pneumonia residuals, COPD, and emphysema, is remanded for further examination to determine if they are related to his military service. The appeal is reopened based on new evidence.
- Granted
The Veteran's right knee disability is service-connected as it resulted from an injury sustained during active service.
- Dismissed
The appeal seeking readjudication of the previously denied claim for PTSD and multiple other conditions is dismissed due to a procedural defect. The Veteran's authorized representative at the time the appeal was submitted did not have the authority to file the appeal.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for left and right knee conditions due to insufficient medical opinions in the January 2024 rating decision. The AOJ is instructed to consider any new evidence submitted by the Veteran, including a supplemental claim for right knee condition.
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