The veteran's claims for increased ratings and an earlier effective date are being remanded due to incomplete development of records.
The deciding factor: Incomplete development of medical records has prevented the VA from fully assessing the veteran's conditions and their impact on his disability ratings.
- Claimed conditions
- post-traumatic arthritis of the left knee, post-traumatic arthritis affecting the right fifth metacarpophalangeal joint with residual injury to the right fourth finger, degenerative arthritis of the distal interphalangeal joints of all digits of the right hand, limitation of motion of the right wrist
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 60%
- Decision date
- May 20, 2005
- Citation
- 0513894
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 0513894.
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's service-connected left knee disabilities are being remanded for a new VA examination to assess the current severity of his conditions.
- Granted
The claim of service connection for hypertension is reopened and granted.,The claims of service connection for residuals of a left ankle sprain, carpal tunnel syndrome in the right wrist (to include as a result of burn scar), low back disability, right ear hearing loss, erectile dysfunction associated with prostate cancer, residuals of third degree burns on the right hand, and limitation of motion of the right wrist are not reopened.,The claim of service connection for prostate cancer is granted effective from May 29, 2013.
- Denied
The Veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 20 percent for post-traumatic arthritis of the left knee status post meniscectomy was denied.,The Veteran's claim for an effective date earlier than June 8, 2009, for the grant of service connection for left knee instability and a 30 percent rating was also denied.
- Granted
The Board has granted a 20% evaluation for left knee instability since May 31, 2005. The Veteran's post-traumatic arthritis of the left knee is not rated higher due to lack of ankylosis or dislocated semilunar cartilage.
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