The Board has found that the ratings for ligament laxity/instability of the bilateral knees are part and parcel of the Veteran's claims for an increased rating for his bilateral knee disabilities. The case is being remanded to obtain VA treatment records, authorize private treatment records, schedule a VA examination, and provide the Veteran with a supplemental statement of the case (SSOC) which provides him with notice of the new musculoskeletal rating criteria.
The deciding factor: The Board has determined that there are outstanding relevant VA treatment records and private treatment records that need to be obtained in order to properly assess the current severity of the Veteran's bilateral knee conditions. Additionally, a VA examination is needed to provide updated range of motion testing for the knees and address any functional loss or additional limitation of ROM due to pain.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative Joint Disease (DJD) of the left knee, Degenerative Joint Disease (DJD) of the right knee
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- May 20, 2021
- Citation
- 21031156
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. Read the original VA decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 21031156.
What this means for you
A remand sends an issue back for more development, often a new examination or missing records. It does not award the benefit or decide the final outcome. The original decision explains the additional work ordered.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Denied
The Board denied an increased disability rating in excess of 10 percent for left knee DJD from October 1, 2008 to August 30, 2010 due to the lack of evidence showing limitation of flexion or extension that would warrant a higher rating.
- Granted
The Board granted an initial 30 percent rating for the Veteran's service-connected DJD of the left knee and left knee lateral instability, from December 15, 2009, to September 5, 2014.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the matter to obtain a new VA medical opinion regarding the severity of the left knee DJD without the ameliorative effects of medication during the limited appeal period.
- Partly granted
The Board denied increased ratings for DJD and instability of both knees but granted separate 20 percent ratings for dislocated semilunar cartilage in the left and right knees.
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