The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for her left knee disability is denied. A separate 20 percent rating, but not higher, is granted for her chondromalacia of the left patella with meniscal tear and joint effusion. The case is remanded to determine service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for her left knee disability was denied as her symptoms did not warrant a higher rating based on limitation of motion or instability. A separate 20 percent rating, but not higher, is granted for her chondromalacia of the left patella with meniscal tear and joint effusion.
- Claimed conditions
- Chondromalacia of the left patella, Meniscal tear with joint effusion
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 14, 2020
- Citation
- 20003325
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.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for chondromalacia of both knees, as there was no evidence to support a higher rating under applicable criteria.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for right lower extremity sciatica associated with the Veteran's service-connected lumbosacral spine strain, but remanded claims for service connection for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and sleep apnea.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, finding that his lung cancer was related to his service-connected melanoma.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for anxiety but denied it for sleep apnea, finding that the Veteran's sleep apnea was less likely than not related to his active service or service-connected acquired psychiatric condition.
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