The Board has remanded the Veteran's case for a VA examination to determine if he has a current diagnosis of a psychiatric disorder and, if so, its etiology. The increased rating claim for his left inguinal hernia and hydrocelectomy residuals remains pending.
The deciding factor: The Veteran needs additional information provided during his December 2019 medical examination to allow the VA examiner to provide an opinion regarding the etiology of his psychiatric disorders.
- Claimed conditions
- Left Inguinal Hernia, Psychiatric Disorder (Anxiety Disorder, Depression)
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- September 24, 2020
- Citation
- 20062893
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 20062893.
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 Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not render him unable to secure and follow substantially gainful employment as of May 1, 2018.
- Partly granted
The Veteran's ear infections are not service-connected, but a 10 percent rating is granted for the left inguinal hernia prior to August 14, 2019. From that date, no compensable rating is assigned.
- Granted
The Veteran's PTSD, bilateral wrist disorder, and other service-connected conditions have been granted initial disability ratings. The TDIU claim for the period prior to February 23, 2018, has also been granted.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's initial ratings for his service-connected right and left inguinal hernias, lumbosacral strain with thoracic DDD, and migraines have been remanded due to the need for issuance of a Statement of the Case (SOC).
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.