The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining updated VA records and an orthopedic examination to assess the current severity of the Veteran's service-connected knee disabilities. The AOJ is also instructed to consider whether referral for extraschedular increased ratings is warranted.
The deciding factor: The decision was not about service connection but rather about increases in staged ratings assigned for left and right knee disabilities, which requires additional development as per the remand directives.
- Claimed conditions
- left patellofemoral syndrome (PFS), right PFS
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- July 6, 2020
- Citation
- 20044811
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 20044811.
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 claims of entitlement to an initial compensable rating for allergic rhinitis, a compensable rating for chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), and a compensable rating for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Additionally, the claim of entitlement to a rating in excess of 10 percent for left patellofemoral syndrome (left PFS) is also remanded. The Board found that additional examinations are necessary due to pre-decisional duty-to-assist errors.
- Denied
The Board denied earlier effective dates for service connection of the residuals of a sprained right ankle, left and right PFS, and PTSD due to final denials prior to May 14, 2014.,VA received claims for these conditions after May 14, 2014, which were reopened based on new evidence. The effective dates are set at the date of receipt of the reopened claims.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case for further development and examination to determine the current severity of the Veteran's service-connected knee disabilities, including whether a separate rating under Diagnostic Code 5257 (for instability) is warranted. The AOJ should also consider an extraschedular increased rating if appropriate.
- Denied
The Board found that the Veteran's current left knee disability was not incurred or aggravated in service and denied his claim for service connection.
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