The Board has denied service connection for right leg and left knee/lower leg disabilities due to lack of diagnosed conditions. The claim for compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 for bilateral vision loss was also denied as the Veteran's blindness did not result from VA carelessness, negligence, or similar fault.
The deciding factor: The evidence does not support current diagnoses of right leg and left knee/lower leg disabilities, and there is no indication that the claimed conditions are related to service. The denial of compensation under 1151 was based on a lack of causation by VA carelessness or negligence.
- Claimed conditions
- Right Leg Disability, Left Knee/Lower Leg Disability, Bilateral Vision Loss
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 12, 2020
- Citation
- 20032964
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 20032964.
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.
- Granted
The Veteran's appeal for service connection of a sleep disorder is dismissed. An initial evaluation of 70 percent, but no higher, is granted for major depressive disorder. Service connection for lumbar spine and bilateral leg disabilities remains remanded.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to new evidence received, and because of potential interrelatedness with other conditions. The Veteran's MS is being examined again, along with her leg disabilities and psychiatric disorder.
- Granted
The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD is granted. The Board finds that the Veteran has a diagnosis of PTSD related to his in-service stressors and grants this claim. Other claims are remanded due to insufficient evidence.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for right hip, lower back, and right leg disabilities due to a lack of medical evidence on record.
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.