The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 20 percent for his service-connected torn medial meniscus and patellofemoral syndrome of the left knee is remanded due to insufficient evidence from the last VA examination. The Veteran also has an issue with his right heel and foot callus disorder, which requires a Statement of the Case.
The deciding factor: The last VA examination did not comply with recent precedential decisions (Correia v. McDonald and Sharp v. Shulkin) that require joint testing for pain on both active and passive motion, in weight-bearing and non-weight-bearing, and an estimate of functional loss due to flare-ups.
- Claimed conditions
- torn medial meniscus, patellofemoral syndrome
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 26, 2021
- Citation
- 21032235
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 21032235.
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 the Veteran's claim for service connection for his left knee disability, finding that a current disability is related to an in-service injury and resolving all doubt in favor of the Veteran.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for right, left knee conditions and back pain as the evidence did not support that these conditions were caused by or aggravated by active duty service or a service-connected disability.
- Remanded (sent back)
The claim for service connection for a left knee condition (to include patellofemoral syndrome and DJD) is remanded for readjudication, as new and relevant evidence has been received sufficient to reopen the claim.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further evaluation of his right knee disability, including a determination on the temporary total rating and a rating in excess of 10 percent. The issues are related to service connection under direct theory.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.