The Board has decided to remand the cases of arthritis of the left knee and left ankle as secondary to service-connected right total knee arthroplasty due to insufficient consideration of the Veteran's complaints in service and the relationship between his current conditions and his service-connected condition.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner did not consider whether the Veteran's current left knee and left ankle disabilities were proximately due to or the result of service-connected right knee disability, as well as the etiological relationship between the pain the Veteran felt in his left knee while in service and the disability he is currently diagnosed with.
- Claimed conditions
- Arthritis of the left knee, Arthritis of the left ankle
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 13, 2021
- Citation
- 21029265
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 21029265.
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 Board has granted service connection for arthritis of the lumbar spine, right ankle, left ankle, and left foot on a presumptive basis due to continuous symptoms since service separation.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine, and bilateral tinnitus. The claim for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for bilateral plantar fasciitis was denied. Other claims were either granted or remanded.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for a left knee disability and a right knee disability, finding that the Veteran's arthritis of both knees is not related to an injury or disease incurred in active service and has not been caused or aggravated by a service-connected disability.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for multiple back and joint disabilities, resolving all reasonable doubt in the Veteran's favor.
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