The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for additional development, including providing him with current and adequate VA examinations of his knees. The AOJ is instructed to obtain any outstanding relevant records and schedule the Veteran for an examination by an appropriate clinician.
The deciding factor: The Board finds that there are outstanding pertinent VA treatment records in the claims file which have not yet been reviewed by the AOJ, and the Veteran has indicated worsening of his service-connected knee disabilities since the last VA examinations. The AOJ is instructed to obtain these records and schedule an examination for further evaluation.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative joint disease of the left knee, Right knee chondromalacia, Degenerative joint disease of the right knee
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 9, 2020
- Citation
- 20001907
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 remands the claims for further development to ensure that the severity of the Veteran's bilateral knee disability is accurately assessed without considering the ameliorative effects of medication.
- Granted
The Veteran is granted special monthly compensation (SMC) based on the need for regular aid and attendance, effective December 8, 2025.
- Granted
The Board granted increased ratings for the Veteran's degenerative spondylosis at L5-S1, left and right shoulder disabilities, left and right knee disabilities, and depressive disorder.
- Denied
The Board denied the claim for a disability rating in excess of 10 percent for degenerative joint disease of the right knee based on the evidence showing limitation of flexion to 135 degrees and extension to 5 degrees, which did not meet the criteria for a higher rating.
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