The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate opinion regarding whether the Veteran's right knee disorder is caused by or aggravated by his service-connected left knee disability. A new VA examination is needed.
The deciding factor: The current medical opinions are insufficient and do not address whether the Veteran's right knee disorders are related to his service-connected left knee disability, specifically due to overuse from favoring the left knee.
- Claimed conditions
- Right knee posterior cruciate ligament tear, Arthritis in the right knee
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 26, 2021
- Citation
- 21070820
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 21070820.
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 peripheral neuropathy of the left and right feet, rheumatoid arthritis, and arthritis in both knees due to herbicide agent exposure. Service connection for obstructive sleep apnea is also granted as secondary to rheumatoid arthritis.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling a VA examination to assess his right knee disability and sleep apnea. Separate ratings may be assigned based on the findings.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has granted service connection for a right knee disability secondary to PTSD. The case is remanded for an examination to determine the nature and etiology of any left knee disorders.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for arthritis in the right knee and reopened/reinstated claims for left shoulder and neck disorders. The issues of increased ratings for residuals of a right knee laceration and left hand injury, as well as an earlier effective date for the 10 percent rating for the left hand disability are remanded.
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