The Veteran's request to reopen his previously denied claims of service connection for left knee DJD and lumbar spine DDD were granted. The claim for service connection for DDD was not reopened due to lack of a nexus to service. The TDIU claim was also denied.
The deciding factor: New evidence received since the October 2010 denial related to unestablished facts necessary to substantiate the claims, including a VA examiner's opinion on the etiology of the left knee DJD. However, there is no new and material evidence provided for the lumbar spine DDD claim.
- Claimed conditions
- left knee degenerative joint disease (DJD), degenerative disc disease (DDD) of the lumbar spine
- How they argued it
- Reopened with new and material evidence
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 1, 2020
- Citation
- 20022541
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 20022541.
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 identified issues for remand related to service connection claims and effective date determinations. The appellant's appeal includes multiple conditions, including a headache disability, left ankle and foot disabilities, low back disability, knee degenerative joint disease (DJD), neuropathy, and an acquired psychiatric disorder.,The Board is directed to address the issues of service connection for these conditions and determine appropriate effective dates.
- Dismissed
The Board dismissed the Veteran's appeals because his requests to appeal were not timely filed, and he did not provide good cause for the delay.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to a lack of compliance with VA examination requirements and needs additional information regarding the severity of the Veteran's left knee DJD.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for left knee DJD, finding that the Veteran's preexisting condition was aggravated by his active service and that it had its onset during service.
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