The Veteran's service-connected bilateral knee and foot disabilities, as well as her right thumb disability, are being remanded for additional examinations to assess the current severity of these conditions. The issue of entitlement to a total disability rating based upon individual unemployability (TDIU) has also been raised by the record.
The deciding factor: The Board finds that updated VA examinations are necessary due to the Veteran's reported worsening symptoms and the need to provide more detailed information regarding her functional limitations and flare-ups.
- Claimed conditions
- left knee degenerative arthritis, right knee osteoarthritis (status post arthroscopy with partial medial meniscectomy), residuals of cold injury of the right foot, residuals of cold injury of the left foot, osteoarthritis of the metacarpophalangeal joint of the right thumb
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 20, 2020
- Citation
- 20020565
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 20020565.
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 has remanded the Veteran's claim for service connection for left knee degenerative arthritis and shin splints due to insufficient rationale in the previous VA examination. The case is now pending with a request for a new opinion.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's claim for service connection for left knee degenerative arthritis is dismissed. The claims for service connection for psychiatric disability, bilateral hearing loss, and other conditions are granted.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for right knee disability, left knee arthritis, and bilateral knee instability. The decision is based on the Veteran's competent and credible lay evidence regarding the onset of symptoms in service.
- Denied
The Board has determined that there is no evidence to support the Veteran's claims of service connection for left and right knee degenerative arthritis, as his current conditions are not linked to his military service.
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