The Veteran's claim for an initial compensable rating for left epididymitis (also claimed as varicocele and swollen left testicle) is being remanded due to conflicting medical opinions from previous examinations.
The deciding factor: There are conflicting medical opinions regarding the nature of the Veteran's condition, specifically whether it can be characterized as 'edema' or not, which requires clarification.
- Claimed conditions
- left epididymitis, varicocele, swollen left testicle
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- October 8, 2020
- Citation
- 20065436
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,592 · Granted: 19% (granted or partly granted, in the indexed decisions on this site)
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
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. Read the original VA decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 20065436.
What this means for you
A remand sends an issue back for more development, often a new examination or missing records. It does not award the benefit or decide the final outcome. The original decision explains the additional work ordered.
What you can do next
Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Board has granted service connection for sleep apnea, an acquired psychiatric disorder, bilateral restless leg syndrome, bilateral tremors of the hands, chronic headaches, facial dermatosis, erectile dysfunction (loss of use of a creative organ due to varicocele), and varicocele. The Veteran's symptoms have been observed since his time in service.
- Whole decision: Dismissed
The Veteran's appeal for an effective date prior to December 7, 2015, for the award of service connection for varicocele and epididymitis has been dismissed due to the Veteran's withdrawal request.
- Whole decision: Partly granted
The Board granted a 50 percent rating for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and denied increased ratings for right shoulder impingement syndrome, hearing loss, painful scar, patellofemoral pain syndromes of the knees, and other conditions.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied service connection for urethritis, left epididymitis, genital warts, Bell's palsy, and noncompensable evaluations for residuals of a fractured 5th digit, left hand, rhinitis, upper respiratory infections, and scar on the right index finger.
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