The Board denied service connection for left knee disability, an acquired psychiatric disability (claimed as a suicide attempt), and left shoulder disability. The claim for COPD/emphysema was remanded.
The deciding factor: The evidence of record did not persuasively weigh in favor of finding that any currently diagnosed left knee or psychiatric condition had onset in service or is related to service, while the RO's failure to obtain an examination or opinion regarding a suicide attempt and the Veteran's left shoulder disability was a pre-decisional duty-to-assist error.
- Claimed conditions
- acquired psychiatric disability (claimed as suicide attempt), COPD/emphysema, left knee disability, left shoulder disability
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- Camp Lejeune water
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- March 20, 2025
- Citation
- A25026362
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 926 · Granted: 33% (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 A25026362.
What this means for you
A final Board denial may be appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, generally within 120 days of the Board mailing date. A Supplemental Claim with new and relevant evidence is a separate option. Another Higher-Level Review of the Board decision is not available. Check your own notice: this historical decision does not set your deadline.
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: 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.
- Whole decision: 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.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient rationale in the July 2012 VA examination for the Veteran's left knee disability, and a new addendum opinion is needed.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has denied service connection for residuals of gallbladder removal and remanded the other claims due to insufficient evidence.
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