The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional examinations and evaluations to determine the nature, status, etiology, and progression of his claimed respiratory disability, bilateral flatfeet, other specified trauma and stressor related disorder, residuals of gunshot wound to the right upper extremity, and TDIU. The current evaluations are not sufficient to make a determination on these issues.
The deciding factor: The Veteran has provided lay statements regarding his symptoms and their onset, which need to be considered in conjunction with the medical evidence for an accurate assessment.
- Claimed conditions
- Inguinal Hernia, Respiratory Disability (claimed as breathing problems), Bilateral Flatfeet
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 22, 2020
- Citation
- 20068679
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 940 · Granted: 21% (granted or partly granted, in the vetted 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. Look up the original decision on VA.gov (opens in a new tab) using citation 20068679.
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 inguinal hernia with status postrepair, residuals, and recurrence was rated at 60 percent since October 25, 2018. The Board denied an increased rating as the evidence did not meet the criteria for a higher rating under the new Diagnostic Code 7338.
- Partly granted
The Board denied service connection for obstructive sleep apnea and erectile dysfunction, but granted an increased rating of 40 percent for a low back disability (intervertebral disc syndrome) and 20 percent for bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy.
- Partly granted
The Board denied service connection for vertigo/Meniere's disease and remanded the claims for bilateral hearing loss, bilateral flatfeet, and a bilateral knee disorder for readjudication with new evidence.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for sinusitis, bilateral flatfeet, and tinnitus, assigned an initial 10 percent rating for sinusitis, and remanded claims related to ankle and respiratory disabilities.
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.