The Board has remanded the case due to an inadequate VA medical opinion regarding whether the Veteran's right knee disorder is related to his service, especially as it relates to his service-connected spina bifida occulta, S1, and arthritis and degenerative joint disease of the spine. A new medical opinion addressing aggravation is required.
The deciding factor: The Court found that the April 2019 VA medical opinion was inadequate for adjudication purposes due to its insufficient discussion on the aggravation prong of secondary service connection.
- Claimed conditions
- right knee disorder
- How they argued it
- Aggravation of a pre-existing condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 20, 2020
- Citation
- 20074546
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 appeal was dismissed due to the Veteran's death while it was pending.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for PTSD, diabetes mellitus, type II, migraines, left and right knee disorders, and obstructive sleep apnea due to missing military records and inadequate examinations.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for right and left knee disorders to obtain a new examination that adequately addresses all pertinent evidence of record.
- Dismissed
The veteran withdrew the appeal for all service connection and rating issues, and the Board has no jurisdiction to review these matters.
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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.