The Board has decided to remand the cases for further examination and evaluation due to inadequate range of motion assessment during flare-ups, as well as discrepancies in the number of surgical scars on the left knee. The Veteran's complaints regarding functional loss due to flare-ups need to be addressed.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner was unable to provide an adequate explanation for the lack of range of motion assessments during flare-ups and there is a discrepancy in the number of surgical scars on the left knee, which affects the assessment of functional loss.
- Claimed conditions
- left knee surgical scar, right knee chondromalacia, left knee chondromalacia
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 17, 2019
- Citation
- 19179352
Veterans Law Judge
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
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 19179352.
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 Veteran's appeals for earlier effective dates and compensable ratings for left knee tendonitis and right knee chondromalacia have been dismissed as he withdrew his appeal in January 2025.
- Granted
The Veteran's hypertension, left knee scar, and erectile dysfunction have been granted a 10 percent rating each. The effective date for these awards is January 1, 2025. An earlier effective date for special monthly compensation based on loss of use of a creative organ is denied.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has granted service connection for right ear hearing loss and has remanded the claims for hypertension, left knee disability, and right knee disability due to duty to assist errors.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for lumbar spine degenerative disc disease, left knee chondromalacia, and right knee chondromalacia, finding that the Veteran's conditions are etiologically related to injuries sustained in service from parachute jumps.
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