Your current rating for unspecified trauma and stressor related disorder is 30 percent, effective prior to September 7, 2023. The Board has found that your symptoms do not warrant a higher rating.,The Veteran's left knee degenerative arthritis may be service-connected through secondary service connection due to obesity. Further examination and medical opinion are needed to determine the etiology of this condition.,Your back disability (not specified) is currently not service-connected, but further evidence or argument may support its service connection.,Right lower extremity sciatica has no current service connection.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's symptoms do not meet the criteria for a higher rating under any applicable diagnostic code.,Obesity could be an intermediate step between your service-connected disabilities and your current left knee degenerative arthritis. Further examination is needed to determine if obesity was a substantial factor in causing this condition.,Your back disability (not specified) has no current service connection, but further evidence or argument may support its service connection.,Right lower extremity sciatica has no current service connection.
- Claimed conditions
- Unspecified Trauma and Stressor Related Disorder, Left Knee Degenerative Arthritis, Back Disability (not specified), Right Lower Extremity Sciatica
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- July 10, 2024
- Citation
- A24037088
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 A24037088.
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 Board has granted earlier effective dates for service connection of peripheral vestibular disorder with dizziness/vertigo, depressive disorder, left knee degenerative arthritis, and right knee degenerative arthritis all from July 4, 2023.
- Granted
The Board has restored the Veteran's disability ratings for right and left knee degenerative arthritis from 10 percent to 10 percent effective January 8, 2025.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has restored the prior ratings for right and left knee degenerative arthritis, but has remanded the issues of increased ratings due to an inadequate VA examination.
- Granted
The Veteran's residuals of right knee total replacement have been granted a maximum schedular rating of 60 percent effective June 1, 2020. The Veteran's left knee degenerative arthritis has also been granted an increased rating to 60 percent effective June 1, 2020.
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