The Veteran's service-connected right knee chondromalacia patella disability is being remanded for further evaluation due to a potential worsening of the condition.
The deciding factor: The July 2013 VA examination and January 2015 addendum opinion are inadequate as they do not include specific Correia findings, fail to adequately explain the relationship between repetitions over time and flare-ups, and do not account for functional loss during flares.
- Claimed conditions
- chondromalacia patella
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- June 30, 2020
- Citation
- 20044091
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 20044091.
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 increased ratings for chondromalacia patella, patellofemoral pain syndrome right is remanded due to a duty-to-assist error in the evaluation of his service-connected knee disability.
- Denied
The Board denied an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for left knee osteoarthritis, meniscal tear, and chondromalacia patella, finding that the Veteran's claim was not entitled to such a retroactive effective date due to lack of new and material evidence submitted within one year of the February 2015 rating decision.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for right knee degenerative arthritis with chondromalacia patella with meniscal tear and right knee instability, finding that the evidence is at least evenly balanced as to whether these conditions began in service.
- Granted
The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 10 percent for chondromalacia patella and left knee instability is denied, but he is granted service connection for coronary atherosclerosis due to presumed exposure to herbicide agents.
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