Veterans Law Judge
Judge Keith W. Allen: BVA decisions and outcomes
From 2017 to 2022, Veterans Law Judge Keith W. Allen signed 4,412 Board decisions covering 8,715 condition issues. The judge granted 15.8% of those issues, denied 38.2% and remanded 43.4%. For the same mix of conditions, the rest of the Board granted 19.8% and remanded 46.7%, so this judge's grant rate is below the Board's and the remand rate is below it.
Decisions
4,412
2017–2022
Issues decided
8,715
One issue per condition per decision
Issues granted
15.8%
Board, same conditions: 19.8%
Issues remanded
43.4%
Board, same conditions: 46.7%
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 | 659 | 12.7% | 17.3% | 45.2% | 51.1% |
| Hearing loss | 512 | 17.6% | 19.5% | 28.7% | 34.6% |
| Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) | 426 | 28.4% | 28.9% | 37.1% | 38.1% |
| Degenerative arthritis of the spine (spondylosis) | 314 | 16.2% | 20.7% | 38.2% | 46.1% |
| Tinnitus | 304 | 37.5% | 39.6% | 17.1% | 22.8% |
| Hypertension | 278 | 11.2% | 17.2% | 48.2% | 48.7% |
| Sleep apnea syndromes (obstructive central mixed) | 269 | 15.2% | 26.3% | 46.8% | 50.4% |
| Intervertebral disc syndrome | 258 | 18.2% | 18.7% | 39.9% | 48.1% |
| Ankle impairment | 183 | 10.9% | 16.9% | 53.0% | 50.4% |
| Shoulder impairment | 178 | 7.9% | 14.3% | 44.9% | 53.1% |
| Diabetes mellitus | 178 | 18.0% | 20.0% | 32.6% | 40.1% |
| Migraine | 163 | 22.1% | 30.2% | 42.3% | 42.2% |
| Peripheral nerve disorders | 148 | 18.2% | 20.6% | 40.5% | 51.7% |
| Hip impairment | 135 | 8.1% | 14.4% | 52.6% | 53.8% |
| Major depressive disorder | 113 | 38.9% | 34.6% | 31.9% | 34.2% |
Judge Keith W. Allen's decisions by year
| Year | Decisions | Granted | Denied | Remanded |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 175 | 14.9% | 36.6% | 52.6% |
| 2018 | 298 | 30.5% | 35.9% | 61.1% |
| 2019 | 1,061 | 30.1% | 51.2% | 44.5% |
| 2020 | 1,070 | 30.8% | 50.2% | 42.0% |
| 2021 | 1,058 | 29.6% | 49.7% | 41.4% |
| 2022 | 750 | 29.5% | 39.9% | 50.3% |
Why the Board granted or denied issues in Judge Keith W. Allen's decisions
Most common reasons in grants
- Current diagnosis established65
- In-service noise exposure conceded39
- Service connection established38
- Continuity of symptomatology since service19
- Caused by the service-connected disability16
- VA examiner: less likely than not related to service10
- New and material evidence submitted to reopen claim9
- Veteran competent to report tinnitus7
Most common reasons in denials
- Preponderance of the evidence against the claim303
- VA examiner: less likely than not related to service174
- No current diagnosis86
- No in-service complaints, treatment or diagnosis80
- Current diagnosis established51
- Already at the maximum schedular rating25
- Continuity of symptomatology since service21
- Service records negative or silent19
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 Keith W. Allen decisions
Granted
Reduction from 70% to 50% was unwarranted.; Evidence did not show sustained improvement.; Symptoms met criteria for 70% rating.
Presumption of herbicide exposure under PACT Act for service in Thailand; Credible testimony of exposure near base perimeter and travel through sprayed areas; Evidence in relative equipoise, resolving doubt in Veteran's favor
Additional evidence submitted post-vacate showed worsening symptoms; Suicidal ideation, irritable behavior, and poor sleep noted; Benefit of the doubt applied due to consistent suicidal ideation
Denied
No probative evidence of service connection; Normal separation examination findings; Unremarkable service treatment records; Delayed post-service diagnosis
Mixed hearing loss not typically caused by noise exposure; Middle ear pathology present prior to service; Less likely than not due to military service
Pes planus noted at military entrance examination; No complaints or treatment for foot pain during service; Veteran admitted to no foot pain during service; VA examiner found no aggravation during service; Inconsistent lay testimony regarding onset of pain
Research your Judge Keith W. Allen 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 (2017–2022) and can contain errors. It is updated automatically as new decisions are added.