The Veteran's claim for a separate compensable rating for the residuals of her left knee meniscal injury prior to April 30, 2015 is granted.,The Veteran's claims for initial disability ratings in excess of 10 percent for right and left knee patellofemoral pain syndrome are remanded due to inadequate VA examination findings regarding functional loss with repetitive use over time.
The deciding factor: The evidence is in equipoise as to whether the Veteran’s left knee disability manifested with frequent episodes of 'locking' and effusion into the joint consistent with symptomatic removal of semilunar cartilage prior to April 30, 2015. The Board finds that the evidence supports a separate compensable rating for the residuals of her left knee meniscal injury for this period.,The VA examiner's findings regarding functional loss or impairment due to pain, weakness, fatigability, and incoordination were not consistent with the Veteran’s lay reports and other medical records. The remanded examination is needed to address these inconsistencies.
- Claimed conditions
- left knee meniscal injury, right knee patellofemoral pain syndrome, left knee patellofemoral pain syndrome
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- September 23, 2020
- Citation
- 20062585
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 20062585.
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.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeals for increased disability ratings for his left knee patellofemoral pain syndrome and left ankle condition have been dismissed due to the withdrawal of the appeal by the Veteran's representative.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for left knee patellofemoral pain syndrome, finding that the condition began during service and is not due to any in-service aggravation.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have resulted in loss of use of both feet, which qualifies her for an allowance for an automobile and adaptive equipment.
- Dismissed
The Board has dismissed the Veteran's appeals regarding increased disability evaluations for right knee patellofemoral pain syndrome and left hand ring finger as he withdrew his appeal prior to a decision being made.
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