The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for bilateral knee disorder and back disorder, both secondary to her service-connected left ankle fracture. The case is sent back for an addendum opinion regarding whether these conditions are caused or aggravated by her service-connected disability.
The deciding factor: The examiner found that it was less likely than not that the Veteran’s bilateral knee and back disorders were caused by or permanently aggravated by her service-connected residuals of a left ankle fracture, but did not address the possibility of secondary aggravation. The Board finds this insufficient for decision-making purposes.
- Claimed conditions
- bilateral knee disorder, back disorder
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 30, 2020
- Citation
- 20007784
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 withdrew the appeal for all service connection and rating issues, and the Board has no jurisdiction to review these matters.
- Partly granted
The Board denied service connection for pes planus (flat feet) and remanded several other issues, including service connection for various disorders and increased ratings for the right knee. The Board granted a 20 percent rating for right knee instability.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for a low back disorder with radiculopathy of the lower extremities and bilateral hip and knee disorders due to the need for VA examinations.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for a left shoulder disorder, right shoulder disorder, back disorder, and neuropathy as the evidence did not support a finding that these conditions were related to the Veteran's military service.
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