The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his right and left knee disabilities due to the need for additional development, including new examinations. The TDIU claim is also remanded as it may be impacted by the development of the knee disability claims.
The deciding factor: The Board found that a new VA examination was necessary to assess the Veteran's functional impairments related to his right and left knee disabilities due to the need for more specific information regarding flare-ups and repeated use over time.
- Claimed conditions
- chondromalacia of the right knee, apophysitis of the left patellar tendon with chondromalacia of the left knee
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 20, 2020
- Citation
- 20067694
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 Board's September 4, 2025 decision was vacated due to a failure to address clear and unmistakable error arguments, depriving the Veteran of due process.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for service connection for chondromalacia of the right knee as secondary to residuals of fracture of the right lateral malleolus/foot due to an inadequate VA examination.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased evaluations for chondromalacia of the left knee, GERD, and chondromalacia of the right knee due to failure to report for VA examinations without good cause.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings and a total disability rating based on individual unemployability, finding that the evidence did not support higher ratings or TDIU.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.