The Veteran's chronic sebaceous cysts have not resulted in any scarring, disfigurement of the head, face, or neck, and do not impact his ability to work. Therefore, a compensable rating is denied.,The Veteran's bilateral knee disabilities are currently rated at 10 percent each, but there is evidence suggesting that they may warrant higher ratings due to their severity.
The deciding factor: The VA examinations did not account for the effects of medication used by the Veteran in managing his symptoms.
- Claimed conditions
- Chronic Sebaceous Cysts, Right Knee Strain with Degenerative Arthritis, Left Knee Strain with Degenerative Arthritis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 9, 2026
- Citation
- A26032717
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 A26032717.
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.
- Dismissed
The appeal for increased ratings and earlier effective dates for the appellant's service-connected conditions was withdrawn, and no disability ratings were assigned.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's initial ratings for bilateral hearing loss and left knee strain were denied.,The Veteran's claim for increased ratings for his service-connected conditions was remanded.
- Granted
The Veteran's appeal for restoration of a 40 percent evaluation for left knee strain with degenerative arthritis is granted. The appeal for an increased rating in excess of 40 percent and a separate rating for instability are denied.
- Granted
The Veteran's ratings for right and left knee disabilities were restored to 20 percent, effective September 1, 2017.
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