The Board remands the case for additional development, including obtaining a clarifying opinion on the nature and etiology of the Veteran's left knee instability.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner did not provide an opinion as to whether the Veteran's left knee instability was caused or aggravated by his service-connected residuals of a stress fracture of the distal left femur.
- Claimed conditions
- Residuals of a stress fracture of the distal left femur, Left knee meniscal tear, Osteoarthritis, instability, residuals of a stress fracture of the proximal left upper femur and left knee, Osteochondritis dissecans
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 7, 2021
- Citation
- 21062413
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 the Veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities, as the evidence did not show that his service-connected disabilities alone were of such nature and severity to preclude him from securing or following substantially gainful employment.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for coronary artery disease as secondary to sleep apnea and denied the other claims on appeal.
- Partly granted
The Board denied a rating in excess of 20 percent for the left knee disability based on limited flexion and granted a 40 percent rating for limited extension. The Board also granted a 20 percent rating for the meniscal tear.
- Partly granted
The Veteran is granted an effective date of October 21, 2019, for a disability rating of 30 percent for left knee meniscal tear, ACL tear, and osteoarthritis status post left total knee replacement.
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