The Board has remanded the case due to issues with the Veteran's service-connected knee disabilities, specifically instability of the right knee and chondromalacia of the left patella. The appeal is not about service connection but rather about rating determinations.
The deciding factor: The Veteran’s knee disabilities do not meet the criteria for a higher disability rating under the applicable diagnostic codes due to lack of objective evidence of severe subluxation or lateral instability, and limitation of motion does not warrant an increased rating.
- Claimed conditions
- chondromalacia of the left patella, instability of the right knee
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 4, 2020
- Citation
- 20071278
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 20071278.
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.
- Granted
The Veteran's claim for service connection for limitation of motion and instability of the right knee is granted with an effective date of May 17, 2011. The Veteran's claims for increased ratings are remanded.
- Granted
The Veteran's lumbar spine disability, radiculopathy of the right and left lower extremities, instability of the right and left knees, and bilateral pes planus have been granted increased ratings.,Issues regarding limitation of motion with arthritis of the right and left knees, as well as a rating for bilateral pes planus prior to December 7, 2021, were withdrawn from appeal.
- Granted
The Board granted an initial 20 percent rating for limitation of extension of the right knee and a 10 percent rating for instability of the right knee, but no higher.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the issues of entitlement to increased ratings for right knee conditions due to insufficient medical evidence.
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