The Board has determined that the VA examinations of record are inadequate and do not comply with prior remand directives. The Veteran's right knee, left knee, and low back disabilities need to be re-evaluated due to functional loss from flare-ups and repetitive use over time.
The deciding factor: The VA examinations did not include testing for pain on active and passive motion, weight-bearing, or non-weight-bearing range of motion. The examiner also failed to address the Veteran's reported symptoms such as medial meniscus tears, genu valgum, and back spasms.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative arthritis of the right knee, Degenerative arthritis of the left knee, Low back degenerative arthritis L4, L5, S1
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 20, 2020
- Citation
- 20067708
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.
- Partly granted
The Board granted a separate 10 percent rating for right knee instability but denied an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for degenerative arthritis of the right knee.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for a rating in excess of 20 percent for limitation of flexion and in excess of 10 percent for limitation of extension of the right knee due to insufficient medical evidence regarding the ameliorative effects of medication on the Veteran's condition.
- Denied
The Board denied higher ratings for the Veteran's knee and cervical spine disabilities, finding that the evidence did not support a higher rating under applicable criteria.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for degenerative arthritis of the right and left knees, but remanded the issue of a low back disability for further development.
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This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.