The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate VA examinations and inextricably intertwined issues of increased ratings for service-connected bilateral knee disabilities and entitlement to a TDIU.
The deciding factor: The July 2017 VA examination was not adequate for rating purposes, as it did not include all information needed to determine whether there is additional functional loss during flare-ups or on repeated use without resorting to speculation.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative changes of the menisci of the left knee, Instability related to degenerative changes of the menisci of the left knee, Residuals of a right knee injury with chondromalacia patella, Instability related to residuals of a right knee injury with chondromalacia patella
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- July 6, 2018
- Citation
- 18116632
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 18116632.
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 Board has remanded the claims for further development due to inadequate examinations and other procedural issues.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected lumbar myositis, psychoneurosis and conversion hysteria, residuals of shrapnel wounds of the left thigh and pelvis with retained foreign bodies and scars, and residuals of shell fragment wounds of the right thigh and left leg. The veteran was also denied entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an initial evaluation in excess of 10 percent for his service-connected coronary artery disease, finding that the evidence did not support a higher rating based on the severity of his condition.
- Denied
The Veteran's service-connected musculoligamentous strain, right knee, is currently rated at 10 percent and the Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted.
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