The Board has remanded the case for a new VA examination to determine if any current right knee disability is related to active duty, service-connected rheumatoid arthritis, or left knee osteoarthritis. The examiner must provide opinions on whether the Veteran's current right knee disability was caused by his service-connected conditions and whether it was aggravated by them.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the existing medical opinion was inadequate for adjudicating the claim as it did not address the specific etiological relationship between the Veteran's service-connected rheumatoid arthritis and left knee osteoarthritis and his current right knee disability.
- Claimed conditions
- right knee disability, status post total knee arthroplasty, rheumatoid arthritis, left knee osteoarthritis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 11, 2016
- Citation
- 1614643
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 1614643.
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 rheumatoid arthritis disability rating is being remanded for additional development due to significant weight loss and anemia.
- Partly granted
The Veteran's claims for service connection for sleep apnea and hepatic steatosis have been denied. The claim for rheumatoid arthritis is being remanded.,Service connection has not been established for the claimed conditions.
- Partly granted
Service connection for rheumatoid arthritis and Sjogren's syndrome is granted.,Service connection for hypertension is remanded due to insufficient evidence regarding its onset in service or as a result of a disease or injury in active service.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for blackouts and fainting spells, a bilateral foot condition, and rheumatoid arthritis due to lack of new and relevant evidence.
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