The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected chronic adjustment disorder with anxiety and depression, as well as degenerative disc disease of the thoracolumbar spine, are being remanded due to inadequate examination reports. Additionally, the claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability is also being remanded.
The deciding factor: The VA examinations provided were deemed inadequate to determine the current severity of the Veteran's service-connected conditions and additional development is needed.
- Claimed conditions
- chronic adjustment disorder with anxiety and depression, degenerative disc disease of the thoracolumbar spine
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 17, 2019
- Citation
- 19194370
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 19194370.
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.
- Dismissed
The appeal for service connection for a psychiatric disorder was dismissed because the benefit sought has been granted in full.
- Partly granted
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection, except for separate awards of service connection for left knee instability and right knee instability.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for a disability rating in excess of 70 percent for chronic adjustment disorder with anxiety and depression, service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder other than chronic adjustment disorder, with anxiety and depression, left leg disability (claimed as nerve damage), right leg disability (claimed as nerve damage), and chronic headache disorder (claimed as migraines) to obtain additional evidence.
- Granted
The Board granted disability ratings of 40 percent for right shoulder impingement syndrome, 30 percent for left shoulder impingement syndrome, rotator cuff tear, and acromioclavicular joint osteoarthritis, 30 percent for degenerative disc disease of the cervical spine, 40 percent for degenerative disc disease of the thoracolumbar spine, and 30 percent for right knee patellar chondromalacia with degenerative arthritis, but not higher.
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