The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for gallbladder removal, an acquired psychiatric disorder (PTSD and depression), and vitiligo due to inadequate VA opinions and consideration of new evidence. The Veteran's bilateral knee disabilities are alleged to have aggravated her gallbladder condition.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the previous VA opinions were inadequate and remanded for additional examination and opinion regarding whether the Veteran’s service-connected bilateral knee disabilities may have aggravated her gallbladder removal.
- Claimed conditions
- gallbladder removal, gallstones, acquired psychiatric disorder (PTSD and depression), vitiligo
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 28, 2020
- Citation
- 20007208
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,776 · Granted: 24% (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 20007208.
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 remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to missing records and a pre-decisional duty to assist error. The claims will be readjudicated after obtaining any necessary records.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for residuals of gallbladder removal and gallstones, finding no evidence linking these conditions to the Veteran's active service or presumed exposure to herbicide agents.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the cases of service connection for vitiligo and obstructive sleep apnea due to inadequate VA examinations. The Veteran will need new VA examinations to address these issues.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for vitiligo, finding that the Veteran's current condition started during his active duty service and had continuity to the present. The decision is based on the Veteran's lay statements and VA treatment records.
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