The Veteran's TDIU claim is granted effective January 1, 2020. The initial rating claims for knee and back disabilities are remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions.
The deciding factor: The Veteran has been unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation as a result of his service-connected disabilities, including major depressive disorder, lumbosacral strain with degenerative disc disease, right knee strain, left knee strain, and hypertension secondary to his service-connected conditions. The TDIU claim is granted effective January 1, 2020.
- Claimed conditions
- Major depressive disorder, Lumbosacral strain with degenerative disc disease, Right knee strain, Left knee strain, Right hip strain (impairment of thigh), Left lower extremity radiculopathy, Right lower extremity radiculopathy
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- September 21, 2020
- Citation
- 20061832
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 20061832.
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.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection of a right knee disability, finding that there was no nexus between his current condition and active duty service.
- Denied
The Veteran's service-connected major depressive disorder does not render him in need of regular aid and attendance or confined to his home, thus SMC based on housebound status and/or need for regular aid and attendance is denied.
- Granted
The Veteran is granted special monthly compensation (SMC) at the (o) rate and SMC at the (r)(2) rate, effective January 19, 2025. The decision finds that the Veteran's service-connected conditions warrant these awards due to his need for aid and attendance.
- Granted
The Board has granted effective dates of July 10, 2024 for service connection for PTSD, lumbar strain, and left lower extremity radiculopathy.
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