Veterans Law Judge
Judge A. J. Spector: BVA decisions and outcomes
From 2018 to 2026, Veterans Law Judge A. J. Spector signed 3,356 Board decisions covering 5,568 condition issues. The judge granted 20.4% of those issues, denied 18.7% and remanded 58.0%. For the same mix of conditions, the rest of the Board granted 20.0% and remanded 47.4%, so this judge's grant rate is close to the Board's and the remand rate is above it.
Decisions
3,356
2018–2026
Issues decided
5,568
One issue per condition per decision
Issues granted
20.4%
Board, same conditions: 20.0%
Issues remanded
58.0%
Board, same conditions: 47.4%
Judges do not choose their cases, and grant rates differ a lot by condition. “Board, same conditions” is what the rest of the Board decided for the same mix of conditions, so the comparison is fair to the judge's docket. This is not a ranking.
Conditions this judge decided most
Each row compares the judge's issues on one condition with the rest of the Board's issues on the same condition. Conditions with fewer than 20 of this judge's issues are left out, because a few decisions can swing the rate.
| Condition | Issues | Granted | Board granted | Remanded | Board remanded |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Knee impairment | 390 | 17.7% | 17.3% | 68.7% | 51.1% |
| Hearing loss | 330 | 14.5% | 19.5% | 46.1% | 34.5% |
| Sleep apnea syndromes (obstructive central mixed) | 254 | 31.5% | 26.2% | 60.6% | 50.3% |
| Tinnitus | 240 | 41.7% | 39.6% | 26.7% | 22.7% |
| Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) | 219 | 27.9% | 28.9% | 44.3% | 38.1% |
| Hypertension | 191 | 24.6% | 17.1% | 52.9% | 48.7% |
| Degenerative arthritis of the spine (spondylosis) | 170 | 22.4% | 20.7% | 58.8% | 46.0% |
| Shoulder impairment | 139 | 15.1% | 14.3% | 72.7% | 53.0% |
| Intervertebral disc syndrome | 123 | 18.7% | 18.7% | 62.6% | 48.0% |
| Migraine | 122 | 36.9% | 30.1% | 49.2% | 42.2% |
| Ankle impairment | 109 | 13.8% | 16.9% | 68.8% | 50.4% |
| Peripheral nerve disorders | 99 | 33.3% | 20.5% | 61.6% | 51.7% |
| Hip impairment | 97 | 19.6% | 14.3% | 69.1% | 53.8% |
| Diabetes mellitus | 90 | 17.8% | 20.0% | 45.6% | 40.0% |
| Major depressive disorder | 72 | 26.4% | 34.6% | 44.4% | 34.2% |
Judge A. J. Spector's decisions by year
| Year | Decisions | Granted | Denied | Remanded |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 197 | 17.3% | 24.4% | 67.0% |
| 2021 | 179 | 19.0% | 17.9% | 58.1% |
| 2022 | 541 | 27.9% | 15.9% | 62.8% |
| 2023 | 622 | 30.1% | 25.7% | 55.8% |
| 2024 | 598 | 34.3% | 28.6% | 45.5% |
| 2025 | 875 | 30.7% | 24.1% | 43.0% |
| 2026 | 311 | 35.0% | 23.2% | 48.2% |
Why the Board granted or denied issues in Judge A. J. Spector's decisions
Most common reasons in grants
- Current diagnosis established77
- In-service noise exposure conceded34
- Service connection established27
- Caused by the service-connected disability26
- Continuity of symptomatology since service24
- Aggravated by the service-connected disability9
- Occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas5
- Already at the maximum schedular rating5
Most common reasons in denials
- No current diagnosis54
- Service records negative or silent33
- VA examiner: less likely than not related to service28
- No in-service complaints, treatment or diagnosis26
- Preponderance of the evidence against the claim22
- Already at the maximum schedular rating18
- Current diagnosis established14
- No continuity of symptomatology9
Numbers are decisions that gave the reason. Reasons are short phrases extracted by AI from each decision; common wordings of the same reason are grouped. Benefit of the doubt is reported above.
Recent Judge A. J. Spector decisions
Granted
Favorable finding from AOJ regarding lumbosacral strain; Veteran's credible lay testimony of in-service injury and continuous symptoms; Corroborating service treatment records and medical evidence of injury and ongoing pain; Private chiropractor's opinion finding degenerative changes likely related to in-service injury
Service-connected disabilities prevent substantially gainful employment.; Limitations in sitting, walking, and driving noted.; Resolved doubt in Veteran's favor.
Service-connected acquired psychiatric disorder; Musculoskeletal conditions led to reduced mobility and obesity; Obesity indirectly contributed to sleep apnea; Anxiety associated with fragmented REM sleep; Medical literature supports link between anxiety and sleep apnea
Denied
July 2020 VA examination showed some hearing loss but did not meet VA criteria.; June 2019 Reserve audiogram did not meet VA criteria.; Veteran's lay opinion not competent to establish disability.; Evidence persuasively weighs against the claim.
VA examinations noted moderate incomplete paralysis of the left sciatic nerve.; Limitations in walking and stair climbing attributed to lumbar/cervical spine conditions.; Evidence does not support a rating higher than 20 percent.
Symptoms of depressed mood, anxiety, suspiciousness, panic attacks, sleep impairment, memory loss, and difficulty with relationships and adapting to stress do not meet 100% criteria.; No gross impairment in thought processes, communication, persistent delusions/hallucinations, or grossly inappropriate behavior.; No persistent danger of hurting self or others, or inability to perform daily activities.; Veteran was cooperative, pleasant, with congruent affect and normal speech/thought content.; No current suicidal/homicidal ideation or violent outbursts.
Research your Judge A. J. Spector case
Narrow by year, judge, evidence or secondary condition, read the decisions, and export a research memo.
How these numbers are calculated
- Issue rates count each condition the Board decided in a decision once, by the outcome of that issue. A decision can grant one issue and deny another.
- The yearly table counts decisions: a decision with a granted issue and a denied issue appears in both columns, so a row can add up to more than 100%.
- "Board, same conditions" weights the rest of the Board's grant and remand rate for each condition by how many of this judge's issues were on that condition. It does not adjust for evidence, hearing type or representation.
- Judges are identified from the signature on each decision. This page is a statistical summary, not an evaluation of any judge.
- The data comes from CaseScribe's AI extraction of public BVA decisions (2018–2026) and can contain errors. It is updated automatically as new decisions are added.