The Board denied service connection for a right hand condition, a right hip condition, and a left hip condition. The lumbar spine and cervical spine conditions were remanded.,Service connection was also denied for an acquired psychiatric condition including major depression, panic disorder with agoraphobia, and posttraumatic stress disorder.
The deciding factor: The evidence did not support the presence of current disabilities without applying Saunders v. Wilkie's analysis to a February 2008 statement by the Veteran.,The March 2016 VA orthopedic examiner’s opinion was inadequate as it failed to explain why the lack of documented spinal problems from separation until the 1990s negated connectivity, and did not discuss whether the type of fall the Veteran suffered could be related to his current conditions. The March 2016 VA psychiatric examiner's opinion also lacked a thorough rationale.
- Claimed conditions
- Right Hand Condition, Right Hip Condition, Left Hip Condition, Lumbar Spine Condition, Cervical Spine Condition, Acquired Psychiatric Condition (including Major Depression, Panic Disorder with Agoraphobia, and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 7, 2020
- Citation
- 20032091
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 20032091.
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 for right knee and right hip conditions due to inadequate opinions in prior adjudications.
- Granted
The Veteran's right and left hip conditions are granted as secondary to her service-connected knee conditions.,The Veteran's increased ratings for left and right knee strains, and TDIU claim are remanded due to inadequate examination.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to new and relevant evidence received, including VA examinations and opinions that tend to prove or disprove the Veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder. The cervical spine condition is denied as there was no in-service onset or chronicity.
- Dismissed
The appeal regarding earlier effective dates for IBS and IVDS is dismissed.,The reduction in the rating for painful right toes scars is granted, restoring a 10 percent rating from May 3, 2023.,Increased ratings to 20 percent for lower extremity radiculopathy are granted as of October 21, 2024.,Service connection and increased ratings for left hip conditions, right hip conditions, left knee condition, ED, and depressive disorder are granted.
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