The Board has remanded the claims of entitlement to service connection for left and right knee disabilities due to a lack of VAMC records spanning from January 1998 to May 1999. The Veteran's knee conditions are secondary to his service-connected right ankle condition, but additional development is needed to determine if any ambulation difficulties or instability due to the right ankle condition cause or aggravate the knee conditions.
The deciding factor: The Board found that a remand was necessary to obtain an opinion addressing whether any ambulation difficulties or instability due to the Veteran's right ankle condition cause or aggravate his left and right knee conditions.
- Claimed conditions
- left knee disability, right knee disability
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 20, 2020
- Citation
- 20067697
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.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for tinnitus, cubital tunnel syndrome, right plantar fasciitis, and a right knee disability due to the lack of evidence supporting a nexus between these conditions and the Veteran's military service.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for multiple conditions, including bilateral hearing loss and various musculoskeletal issues, as well as an initial rating in excess of 0 percent for rhinitis. However, the Board granted a 70 percent rating for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for various disabilities to the AOJ for further development and consideration of evidence not previously considered.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for right knee, right hip, and lumbar spine disabilities as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected left knee disability but denied a rating in excess of 30 percent for his left knee disability prior to April 25, 2019.
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