The Board has remanded the cases for further development due to inadequate examination reports and opinions. The Veteran's service-connected right knee disability is alleged to have caused or aggravated his lumbar spine strain and left knee meniscus tear.
The deciding factor: Further examination is needed to address the relationship between the Veteran’s service-connected right knee disability and his claimed lumbar spine strain and left knee meniscus tear.
- Claimed conditions
- lumbar spine strain, left knee meniscus tear
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 20, 2020
- Citation
- 20035025
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 20035025.
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 service-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for specially adapted housing or a special home adaptation grant due to lack of functional impairment. The Board has determined that a VA examination is needed to determine if any service-connected disability results in loss of use of both lower extremities, one lower extremity and one upper extremity, or residuals affecting balance and propulsion.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities prevented him from engaging in gainful employment as of January 1, 2019. The Board granted a TDIU effective from that date.
- Dismissed
The Board has dismissed the issues of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to a full grant of benefits in prior decisions. Service connection is granted for left knee meniscus tear.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has determined that the reduction in disability rating for lumbar spine strain from 40% to 20% was improper and has granted a restoration of a 40% rating. The claim for an increased disability rating for PTSD remains pending.
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