The Veteran's ratings for right knee limited extension and instability were reduced, but the Board found that these reductions were not supported by adequate evidence. The Veteran is entitled to restoration of his original ratings.
The deciding factor: The VA examinations used to reduce the Veteran's ratings did not comply with regulatory requirements and failed to provide sufficient information to support the reduction.
- Claimed conditions
- gouty arthritis of the right knee
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 20, 2021
- Citation
- 21030948
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 21030948.
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.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for gouty arthritis of the bilateral ankles and right knee, finding no evidence to support a nexus between these conditions and the Veteran's military service or his service-connected hypertension and plantar fasciitis.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his service-connected gouty arthritis of the right great toe, left foot, and right knee is remanded due to new evidence not previously considered.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case for further development, including an addendum medical opinion regarding the etiologies of the Veteran's gouty arthritis and a review of his VA treatment records.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining private treatment records and providing a medical opinion regarding whether the Veteran's service-connected conditions have caused or aggravated his gouty arthritis.
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