The Board has reopened the previously denied claims for service connection for a left knee disorder and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), but has remanded both issues due to insufficient evidence regarding their etiology.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner did not consider whether the Veteran's weight gain, which was found to be caused by medications prescribed for his service-connected diabetes mellitus as well as post-surgical treatment for his service-connected pulmonary condition, is related to any of the Veteran’s service-connected disorders or military service.
- Claimed conditions
- left knee disorder, DJD (Degenerative Joint Disease)
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- June 12, 2019
- Citation
- 19145604
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.
- Dismissed
The appeal was dismissed due to the Veteran's death while it was pending.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for PTSD, diabetes mellitus, type II, migraines, left and right knee disorders, and obstructive sleep apnea due to missing military records and inadequate examinations.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for right and left knee disorders to obtain a new examination that adequately addresses all pertinent evidence of record.
- Dismissed
The appeal for service connection for rheumatoid arthritis was dismissed due to a untimely notice of disagreement. The left knee disorder claim is remanded for further action.
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This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.