The Veteran's dysthymic disorder is rated at 50 percent since August 11, 2017. The Board found that the symptoms did not meet criteria for a higher rating.,Right knee and right hip DJD are both currently rated at 10 percent.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's current ratings do not reflect the severity of his disability as he has not provided evidence to support a higher rating based on additional functional impairment or other factors.
- Claimed conditions
- Dysthymic Disorder, Right Knee DJD, Right Hip DJD
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 2, 2020
- Citation
- 20000131
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 134 · Granted: 38% (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 20000131.
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 found a pre-decisional duty to assist error and remands the case for a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder(s).
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to a duty to assist error. The VA needs to obtain examination reports and determine if the service-connected conditions meet the criteria for specially adapted housing and special home adaptation grant.
- Denied
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for specially adapted housing (SAH) or special home adaptation (SHA) grant due to his respiratory disability, which is presumed by the PACT Act. The Board found that the Veteran does not have a permanent and total disability resulting in anatomical loss of use of both hands, burns, or residuals of an inhalational injury.
- Granted
The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorders, including PTSD, generalized anxiety disorder, and dysthymic disorder, are granted as at least as likely as not related to in-service military sexual trauma (MSTs). The claim for a sleep disorder is remanded due to duty-to-assist errors.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.