The Veteran's claims for increased ratings are being remanded to determine the current severity of his service-connected conditions.,No effective date is assigned as the evidence does not indicate a worsening in the one year prior to March 16, 2018.
The deciding factor: The Board finds that there is no new and material evidence or indication of a worsening within the one-year period prior to the Veteran's claims for increased ratings.
- Claimed conditions
- Chondromalacia, left knee, Left ankle instability, Chronic low back strain
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 26, 2020
- Citation
- 20014818
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 20014818.
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 Veteran's claim for an increased rating in excess of 10 percent for chondromalacia, left knee is being remanded due to the need for a more thorough examination that considers whether the symptoms result in functional equivalent of ankylosis during flare-ups.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected HIV and related conditions have resulted in the effective loss of use of his left foot, meeting the criteria for automobile or adaptive equipment eligibility.
- Denied
The Board denied increased ratings for the Veteran's generalized anxiety disorder, painful surgical scars on both feet, and non-compensable ratings for left and right foot surgical scars. The claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and various musculoskeletal conditions were remanded.
- Partly granted
The Board granted a 40 percent rating for the Veteran's service-connected left ankle achilles tendonitis and osteomyelitis, as well as a separate 10 percent rating for left ankle instability.
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