The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA and private medical records related to his right knee disability. The claim will be readjudicated after the development.
The deciding factor: The Board cannot proceed with the rating determination without obtaining all relevant medical records, as the case involves a recent total knee replacement surgery that has affected the Veteran's condition and treatment history.
- Claimed conditions
- right knee internal derangement, torn ligaments and cartilage, right knee total arthroplasty
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 31, 2016
- Citation
- 1613047
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 1613047.
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.
- Denied
The Board denied increased disability ratings for various conditions, including bilateral knee replacements and radiculopathies. The reduction of the 30 percent rating for cervical spine degenerative arthritis was also denied.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claim for a rating in excess of 30 percent for residuals of right knee total arthroplasty due to an error in the VA examination, and the Veteran must be afforded another VA examination that fully complies with Correia v. McDonald.
- Granted
The Veteran is granted an additional month of a total disability rating for his right knee, concluding on November 1, 2024.
- Partly granted
The Veteran was granted a separate compensable evaluation for right knee instability, with a 20 percent rating throughout the appeal period. The initial evaluation in excess of 10 percent prior to March 26, 2024, and in excess of 20 percent thereafter for right knee internal derangement was denied.
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