The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a temporary total evaluation based on convalescence for his service-connected pilonidal cystectomy because the evidence did not show that he required hospitalization or observation of at least 21 days following his surgery.
The deciding factor: The medical evidence did not demonstrate severe postoperative residuals, and the Veteran was able to engage in daily activities without significant limitations.
- Claimed conditions
- pilonidal cyst
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 9, 2020
- Citation
- A20018198
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,088 · Granted: 33% (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 A20018198.
What this means for you
A denial is a starting point, not the end of the road. You can see why this claim fell short — and, if you are still inside the one-year window, the appeal lanes that may remain open to you.
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 case due to issues related to a lumbar spine disability. The Veteran's claims for service connection are not currently addressed.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for service connection are remanded due to pre-decisional duty-to-assist errors, including insufficient notice and rescheduling of VA examinations. The Veteran is required to attend new VA examinations.
- Denied
The Veteran's claim for an initial disability rating in excess of 10 percent for chloracne with pilonidal cyst associated with TERA participation was denied, and the claim for an effective date prior to July 29, 2024, for service connection was also denied.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for higher ratings for his service-connected left and right thigh conditions, as well as his pilonidal cyst. The AOJ is required to obtain new examinations to assess the current severity of these conditions.
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.