The Board has denied service connection for a right thigh disability due to lack of evidence of current diagnosis. The case is remanded for further examination and opinion regarding the left knee disability, acquired psychiatric disability, and secondary service connection.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's STRs were negative for any complaints or diagnoses related to his claimed conditions. Physical examinations did not reveal a right thigh disability, and sensory testing results were normal. The VA examiner opined that the left knee condition is less likely than not proximately due to or the result of service-connected tendonitis.
- Claimed conditions
- Right thigh disability, Left knee disability, Acquired psychiatric disability (adjustment disorder with depressed mood)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 3, 2024
- Citation
- 24000171
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,451 · Granted: 22% (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 24000171.
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.
- Granted
The Veteran's TDIU claim for bilateral knee disabilities and his right and left knee scars have been granted. He is now rated at a combined 60% disability rating from June 1, 2018 based on bilateral factors for his bilateral knee disabilities.
- Granted
The Veteran's entitlement to higher level of SMC at the intermediate rate is granted, effective from January 8, 2021. He was previously in need of aid and attendance due to his left knee disability since February 1, 2017, and now has additional disabilities rated at 50 percent or more.
- Denied
The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for back, right knee, and left knee disabilities due to a lack of evidence showing current diagnoses or functional impairment.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for left, right knee disabilities and right ankle disability due to inadequate medical opinions. The cases will be returned for further development.
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