The Board has remanded several claims related to the Veteran's knee and spine disabilities, including a separate rating for right knee meniscal tear, increased ratings for various knee conditions, and an evaluation of his back disability. The issues are being remanded due to inadequate medical evidence and the need for additional examinations.
The deciding factor: The Board found that there was insufficient evidence regarding the etiology of the Veteran's right knee meniscal tear and its relationship to service or other disabilities, as well as the extent of functional loss from flare-ups and repeated use. Additionally, a new VA examination is needed to assess current severity of his knee and spine conditions.
- Claimed conditions
- Right Knee Meniscal Tear, Right Knee Strain with Tendonitis, Status Post Medial Meniscectomy of Left Knee, Instability, Left Knee, Degenerative Disc Disease, Thoracolumbar Spine
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- August 20, 2019
- Citation
- 19164534
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 19164534.
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.
- Granted
The Veteran is entitled to an earlier effective date of February 29, 2000, for an award of TDIU on an extraschedular basis due to his service-connected back and left knee disabilities.
- Partly granted
The Board granted the appellant's eligibility for direct payment of attorney fees from past due benefits awarded in the portion of a May 2022 rating decision granting higher ratings for painful residual right foot scars and service connection for bilateral claw foot (pes cavus), but denied it for the portion granting initial ratings for right knee MCL sprain, right hip iliopsoas tendinitis, and bilateral claw foot.
- Partly granted
The Board granted clothing allowances for a back brace and wheelchair, but denied them for a neck brace, bilateral knee braces, pain medication therapy, cane, and walker.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for Parkinson's disease and related conditions, including Bradykinesia, instability, dysphagia, dysarthria, tremors, facial paralysis, an acquired psychiatric disorder, bowel incontinence, bladder incontinence, and radiculopathy of all four extremities, based on presumptive service connection due to exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune.
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