The Veteran's appeals for a rating in excess of 30 percent for migraine headaches prior to February 8, 2017, an initial compensable evaluation for laparoscopy scars, and SMC based on loss of use of a creative organ have been dismissed.,The Veteran's appeals for whether new and material evidence exists to reopen her previously denied claims for service connection for left ovary removal, ovary cyst removal, and cervical dysplasia have also been dismissed.,The Board has remanded the issues regarding service connection for a left knee disability (secondary to lumbosacral strain with degenerative changes) and a right knee disability (secondary to lumbosacral strain with degenerative changes).,The Veteran's claim for service connection for fibromyalgia is also being remanded.
The deciding factor: The Veteran withdrew her appeals regarding the issues of migraine headaches, laparoscopy scars, SMC, ovary removal, ovary cyst removal, and cervical dysplasia in February 2019.,The Board found that there was insufficient evidence to support a direct service connection for the knee disabilities or fibromyalgia. The Veteran's current diagnoses and her in-service complaints regarding muscular pain were considered.,The remanded issues include obtaining STRs, VA treatment records, and an examination to determine if the knee disabilities are related to service, as well as whether fibromyalgia is related to service.
- Claimed conditions
- migraine headaches, left knee disability, right knee disability, fibromyalgia
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 23, 2020
- Citation
- 20068729
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,757 · Granted: 23% (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 20068729.
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development, including a new VA examination to assess his bilateral knee and hip disabilities.
- Granted
The Veteran's claim for service connection for migraines was reopened due to new evidence. Service connection is granted for painful scars, but the rating assigned remains at 10 percent. The claims for fibromyalgia and bilateral shoulder disability are denied.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for bilateral hearing loss, migraine headaches, and PTSD due to additional development of records and examination.
- Partly granted
The Board has not made a final determination on the claims of service connection for inguinal hernia, PTSD, joint pain, fibromyalgia, left knee disability, right knee disability, tinnitus, chronic fatigue syndrome, respiratory disability, sleep disorder, IBS, and headaches. The claims are remanded to obtain additional evidence and determine if these conditions are related to service.
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