The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for bilateral knee disorder and back disorder due to a lack of substantial compliance with previous directives.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner's opinion did not consider evidence of continuity of symptoms and inaccurately indicated that the Veteran did not seek post-service medical treatment for his back prior to 1988.
- Claimed conditions
- bilateral knee disorder, back disorder
- How they argued it
- Aggravation of a pre-existing condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 21, 2020
- Citation
- 20067946
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 withdrew the appeal for all service connection and rating issues, and the Board has no jurisdiction to review these matters.
- Partly granted
The Board denied service connection for pes planus (flat feet) and remanded several other issues, including service connection for various disorders and increased ratings for the right knee. The Board granted a 20 percent rating for right knee instability.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for a low back disorder with radiculopathy of the lower extremities and bilateral hip and knee disorders due to the need for VA examinations.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for a left shoulder disorder, right shoulder disorder, back disorder, and neuropathy as the evidence did not support a finding that these conditions were related to the Veteran's military service.
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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.