The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate medical opinions regarding the preexistence and aggravation of the Veteran's right knee conditions during service.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner did not provide an opinion regarding whether the knee conditions clearly and unmistakably existed prior to service, or if they were aggravated by service.
- Claimed conditions
- osteochondral defect, probable grade III to grade IV injury of the median ridge of the right patella, atherosclerotic calcifications with popliteal artery aneurysm
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 17, 2020
- Citation
- 20073538
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to a lack of specific range of motion measurements for the Veteran's right knee, and another examination is needed to properly evaluate his service-connected conditions.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's right knee disorders.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, effective from the date of the February 2025 rating decision.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for a medical examination to determine if the Veteran's current neck strain is related to his in-service activities.
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